od, ewes, and other things of which the Spaniards had
great need.

CHAPTER VII

While proceeding on their journey they have news sent by the forty
Spanish horsemen of the state of the Indian army with which the
latter had fought victoriously.

On the next day, which was Saturday, All Saints' day, the friar who was
with this company said mass in the morning, according to the custom of
saying it on such a day, and later all set out and journeyed until they
arrived at a full river three leagues beyond, always descending from the
mountains by a rough and long slope. This river, likewise, had a
net-work bridge which, being broken, made it necessary to ford the
stream, and afterwards a very large mountain was ascended which, looked
at from below, seemed impossible of ascent by the very birds of the air,
and still more so by men on horseback toiling over the ground. But the
climb was made less arduous for them by the fact that the road went up
in spirals, and not straight. The greater part, however, was made of
large steps of stone which greatly fatigued the horses and wore down and
injured their hoofs, even though they were led by the bridle. In this
manner a long league was surmounted, and another was traversed by a more
easy road along a declivity, and in the afternoon the Governor with the
Spaniards arrived at a small village of which a part was burned, and in
the other part, which had remained whole, the Spaniards settled. And in
the evening two Indian couriers, sent by the captain who was ahead,
arrived. They brought news, in letters to the Governor, that the captain
had arrived with all speed at the land of Parcos[36] which he had left
behind him, having had news that the [Indian] captains were thereabout
with all the hostile forces; [but] he did not encounter them, and it was
held to be certain that they had withdrawn to Bilcas,[37] and through so
much of the road as he traversed until coming to [a place] within five
leagues of Bilcas, where he spent the night, he marched secretly in
order not to be forestalled by certain spies who were placed a league
from Bilcas. And having news that the enemy were in a town without
having warning of his coming, the captain was delighted, and, having
gone down the rather difficult slope where that place was, at dawn he
entered [the town where some warriors were lodged with few
precautions].[38] The Spanish cavalry began to attack them in the plazas
until so man