one of two Spanish messengers
who had gone to the city of San Miguel to see how things were going
there, and who spoke to him in this way: "My lord, when I had set out
from here by order of the Marshal, I set myself to journey with all
speed along the plains and the shore of the sea, not without trouble,
because many of the caciques who are along that road were in revolt.
But some who were friendly provided us with whatever we needed, and they
informed us that some ships had been seen along the sea-coast, which I
myself saw one day, and, considering that I was sent to the city of San
Miguel to find out whether the ships of the Adelantado Alvarado or of
other people had arrived, I went [rapidly] along the coast for nine days
and nights, sometimes in sight of them, believing that they would take
port and that I would thus learn who they were. But even with all this
speed and trouble I could not do what I wished, on which account I made
up my mind to continue my journey to the city of San Miguel, and, having
crossed to the other side of the large river, I was informed by the
Indians of the country that Christians were coming along that road, and
I, thinking that without doubt it would prove to be the troops of the
Adelantado Alvarado, my companion and I went on our guard in order not
to encounter them _impromptu_.[87] And when they arrived at Motupe, I
learned that they were near that place [where I was], and I waited for
the night. At dawn I sent my companion to speak with them, and to see
what people they were, and I gave him certain tokens by which he could
inform me, and finally, I learned that they were soldiers who were
coming to the conquest of these kingdoms. Because of this, I went to
them and spoke at length, telling them the errand I was on, and they, in
return, informed me that they had come to the city of San Miguel in
certain ships from Panama and were two hundred and fifty in number. When
they had arrived at San Miguel, the captain who was in that city with
two hundred men, seventy of them cavalry, had gone away to the provinces
of Quito in order to conquer them, and they, some thirty persons with
their horses, knowing the conquests which were being made in Cuzco, and
the lack of men there was there, did not wish to go with the captain to
those provinces of Quito and so were coming to Xauxa. And we gave them
news of all that had happened here and of the war which we had had with
the Indians of Quito. And in or