Benalcazar, On His Side
Likewise, Joined Stratagem And Military Conduct To Courage And Prudence;
For, While He Occupied The Attention
Of the enemy by frequent skirmishes,
and demonstrations of attacking them in front, he detached one of his
officers with
Fifty or sixty horsemen, who gained possession of a
commanding post during the night on the rear of the Peruvians, so that he
was able next morning to render himself easily master of the pass they had
endeavoured to defend. In this way, Benalcazar gradually drove the enemy
from their strong ground into the plain of Quito, where they were unable
to withstand the charge of the cavalry and suffered considerably.
Ruminagui still endeavoured to make head in several different posts, which
he carefully forfeited with concealed pit-falls, digging for this purpose
broad and deep ditches, in the bottom of which a number of pointed stakes
were set up, the whole covered over with green turf held up by slender
twigs, somewhat like those described by Caesar as contrived by the
inhabitants of Alesia. But all the contrivances of the Peruvians for
surprizing Benalcazar, or for drawing him into their snares were quite
unavailing. He avoided them all, and never attacked on the side they
expected; often making a circuit of several leagues so as to attack them
unexpectedly on the flank and rear, and always carefully avoiding every
piece of ground that had not a natural appearance. The Peruvians tried
another stratagem, on seeing the former miscarry: They dug a great number
of small pits close to each other, about the size of a horses foot, in
every place around their camp where they thought the cavalry might come to
attack them.
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