Having Drawn Together A Well Armed Force Of Seven Hundred Men, 370 Of Whom
Were Cavalry, 170 Musqueteers, And 160 Armed With Pikes, Vaca De Castro
Appointed Captain Francisco De Carvajal Serjeant Major[10] Of His Army;
The Same Person Who Was Afterwards Maestre De Campo General Under Gonzalo
Pizarro.
Carvajal was an officer of great experience, having served above
forty years in the army, and was bred in the wars of Italy under _the
great captain_, having risen in that service from the ranks to a
lieutenancy.
By him all the movements of the army were directed.
About this time a message was received by Vaca de Castro from Gonzalo
Pizarro, who had just returned to Quito from his disastrous expedition to
Los Canelos, formerly related. Gonzalo made offer to the governor to march
to his assistance with all the troops he could raise; but de Castro, in
answer, after thanking him for his good will, desired him to remain at
Quito and on no account to come to the army, as he had hope of bringing
Don Diego to terms of accommodation, being only desirous of restoring the
country to peace. In this procedure, the governor meant in some measure to
mortify the pride of Gonzalo Pizarro; and besides, he feared lest his
natural desire of taking revenge for the murder of his brother might prove
an invincible obstacle against Don Diego agreeing to any accommodation,
who would never venture to submit to any one who was accompanied by
Gonzalo Pizarro, whose friends in the royal army were very numerous.
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