B. XVII. generals. More pressure on the Spanish posts Ch. 3. in the grand square would have compelled the

withdrawal of some of the Spaniards engaged in investing the fortress; and when the contending parties are greatly unequal in point of numbers, to multiply the points of attack is a mode of warfare which must tell disastrously against the less numerous party.

The day went on without either side having apparently gained or lost much. But the Spaniards had maintained their positions while the scaling-ladders were being made. These being finished, Fernando Pizarro and the footsoldiers commenced their attack at the hour of vespers. This was an excellent disposition of the troops. The horsemen could fight, as they had been fighting all day, to clear the ground about the place, while the hardy foot soldiers, fitter for the work of scaling the fortress, must have seemed almost a new enemy to the beleaguered Indians. Fernando and his men pressed up to the walls with the utmost fury and determination. The conflict had now lasted about thirty hours, and the reinforcements of Indians had not succeeded in making their way into the fortress. The succour most wanted there was fresh ammunition. Stones and darts began to grow scarce amongst the besieged; and Villaoma, seeing the fury of his new enemies, resolved to fly. Communicating his intentions to some of his friends, with them he made his way out of the fortress at the part which looked towards the river. The ground there was very precipitous, but there were some winding passages in the rocks, so con

Ch. 3.

the High

Villaoma.

structed that they were invisible to the Spaniards B. XVII. below, but which were known to the Peruvians. Taking this secret route, Villaoma and his friends Flight of made good their flight, without being perceived Priest, by the Spaniards; and when beyond the walls of the fortress, Villaoma collected and drew off the division of his army which consisted of the Chinchasuyan Indians. From thence the recreant High Priest went to his master the Inca, who, when he heard the ill news, was ready to die of grief.

hero.

At the time Villaoma fled, the fortress was not An Indian altogether lost. In it there remained an Indian Chief of great estimation amongst his people, one of those who had drunk out of the golden vases, and with whom were all the rest of the gallant men who had pledged themselves in the like simple but solemn manner. The whole night through these devoted men maintained their position. Fernando Pizarro's efforts throughout those eventful hours were such as desperation only could inspire; and as the day dawned, he had the satisfaction of perceiving that the defence of the Indians began to slacken, not that their brave hearts were daunted, but that the magazine of stones and arrows was fairly exhausted.

The fate of the beleaguered Indians was now clear to all beholders, to none clearer than to themselves; still this nameless captain gave no signs of surrender. "There is not written of any Roman such a deed as he did." These are the honest words of the Spanish narrator. Traversing all parts of the fortress with a club in his hand, wherever he saw one of his warriors who

B. XVII. was giving way, he struck him down, and hurled Ch. 3. his body upon the besiegers. He himself had two arrows in him, of which he took no more account than if they were not there. Seeing at last that it was not an Indian here and there who was giving way, but that the whole of his men were exhausted, and that the Spaniards were pressing up on the scaling-ladders at all points, he perceived that the combat was hopeless. One weapon alone remained to him, his club. That he dashed down upon the besiegers; and then, as a last expression of despair, taking earth in his hands, he bit it, and rubbed his face with it,* "with such signs of anguish and heartsickness as cannot be described."+ Having thus expressed his rage and his despair, resolving not to behold the enemy's entrance, he hurled himself, the last thing he had to hurl, from the height down upon the invaders, that they might not triumph over him, and that he might fulfil the pledge he had given when he drank from the golden vases. The hero of the Indians having thus perished, no pretence of further resistance could be made. Fernando tress taken Pizarro and his men made good their entrance, Spaniards. and disgraced their victory by putting the

The for

by the

besieged to the sword, who were in number above fifteen hundred.‡

"And they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven." -Job ch. 2, V. 12.

+ "Tomando pedaços de tierra la mordia fregandose con ella la cara con tanta congoja y vascas

que no se puede dezir."-Carta de VICENTE de Valverde, MS.

"Pasando á cuchillo los que estavan dentro, que serian pasados de mil y quinientos ombres."- Carta de VICENTE DE VALVERDE, MS.

CHAPTER IV.

CUSCO AND LOS REYES ARE RELIEVED FROM A STATE
OF SIEGE-ALMAGRO RETURNS FROM CHILI, AND

THREATENS CUSCO.

UCH was the dismay occasioned amongst the

SUCH

B. XVII.

Peruvians by the capture of the fortress that Ch. 4. they deserted their positions near the city, and retired to their encampments, which were well fortified. Fernando Pizarro sallied forth the next morning, and attacked and routed the Indians from the Chinchasuyo district. The day after he made an onslaught with equal success upon those of Collasuyo. The succeeding day this iron man marched out against the Indians of Condesuyo. On each occasion the Spaniards, having open ground for their cavalry to act upon, were entirely triumphant; and the slaughter of the Peruvians must have been immense. These transactions took place at the end of May, 1536.

It might now be imagined that the Spaniards in Cusco would be allowed to have some repose after the unwearied exertions they had made in the defence of the place, and the chastisement, as they would have called it, of the Indians. But the provident mind of Fernando Pizarro thought otherwise. Calling all his men together, he thus addressed them. "Since God has been pleased to

50 Fernando prepares his Men for the worst.

B. XVII. give us this glorious victory by which we have Ch. 4 gained the fortress, and saved the city from a state of siege, it seems to me, noble and valorous gentlemen, that in order that we may enjoy henceforward some rest and peace, and that we may secure the city better, it is necessary that we Fernando should store up, in time, provisions, bringing them provisions from the valley of Sacsahuana. For if we do not obtained. seize upon the maize that is there, the Indians may anticipate us, and we shall then have to obtain our supplies from afar."

urges that

must be

The conclusion of this speech greatly disconcerted the Spanish garrison, who had set their minds upon having now some repose. Pizarro, however, wisely persevered in his determination, telling his men, that as for expecting succour from Los Reyes, they must not reckon upon that; on the contrary, it was possible that they themselves were the only Spaniards left in Peru in whom they could place confidence. He meant, perhaps, darkly to insinuate, that Los Reyes might have been invested at the same time as Cusco; that his brother, the Marquis, might not have been able to drive back the besiegers; and that from Almagro and his men in Chili no friendly interference could be expected. Wherefore, he said, they must make up their minds to be prepared for the worst. To use his own words, they must make their hearts broad enough for everything that might occur to them."* Accord

"Y que pues esto era ansi, se determinasen de hacer el coraçon ancho á todo lo que les viniese."-Carta de VICENTE de Valverde, MS.