At The End Of That Period He
Returned Into Peru, At The Time When The Licentiate Pedro De La Gasca Was
Employed In Levying An Army Against Gonzalo Pizarro, As Shall Be Related
In The Sequel[1].
Soon after the overthrow of the Almagrians, it was reported in Peru that a
very rich country had been discovered to the eastwards of Quito, which in
particular contained great quantities of cinnamon trees, on which account
it got the name of Los Canelos, or the cinnamon country.
The marquis
accordingly resolved to send his brother Gonzalo Pizarro to discover that
country; and as it was necessary to march thither by way of Quito, where
likewise every requisite for the expedition was to be procured, the
marquis conferred the government of the kingdom of Quito on his brother,
till his majestys pleasure might be made known. Gonzalo Pizarro
accordingly set out from Cuzco with a considerable force, taking his route
for Quito by way of the elevated mountain vallies[2]. In this march he was
opposed by the Indians of the province of Guanuco with so much
perseverance and bravery, that the marquis was under the necessity of
sending him a reinforcement under Francisco de Chaves. After having
overcome this obstacle, he arrived in safety at Quito, where he proceeded
to make preparations for his expedition to Los Canelos.
On account of the hostile conduct of the Guanucos towards Gonzalo, and
because the curacas or caciques of that province, in conjunction with
those of the Conchucos had made frequent attacks on the city and province
of Truxillo, in which they killed all the Spaniards they could meet with
and pillaged the country, not even sparing their Indian neighbours, the
marquis sent a detachment of troops under Gomez de Alvarado to make a
conquest of Guanuco, with orders to establish a settlement in that country
to keep the natives under subjection.
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