exerted himself zealously in his service, so that the partizans of that
usurper considered him as secretly gained by the other party, more
especially as he always behaved well to the known friends of the
viceroy. On this account, all these men flocked to Lima, where they
believed themselves in greater security than anywhere else. The
partizans of Gonzalo, on the other hand, made loud complaints against
the favourable behaviour of Aldana to the royalists; and in particular
one of the alcaldes of Lima, named Christopher de Burgos, spoke of it so
openly that Aldana thought it necessary to give him a public reprimand,
and even committed him to prison for some time. Several even went so far
as to communicate their suspicions of the fidelity of Aldana to Gonzalo
Pizarro by letters, and even persuaded him of the truth of their
allegations: But he refrained from manifesting his want of confidence in
the lieutenant-governor, considering it dangerous to deprive him of his
office while the army was at so great a distance, more especially as
Aldana had a respectable military force, and was much esteemed by the
citizens of Lima.

We have formerly mentioned that several inhabitants of the city of La
Plata in the province of Las Charcas, on receiving orders to that effect
from the viceroy, had set out from that city on purpose to offer him
their services against Gonzalo; but having learnt his imprisonment while
on their way to Lima, they returned to their habitations. Gonzalo
Pizarro was particularly displeased with these men, as he expected to
have been especially favoured by the inhabitants of his own peculiar
district, and sent therefore a person named Francisco de Almendras as
lieutenant-governor to La Plata, a coarse brutal fellow without feeling
or humanity, and one of the most cruel satellites of his tyrannical
usurpation; whom he instructed to be peculiarly watchful of the
behaviour of those who had shewn an intention of joining the viceroy,
and to make them feel on every opportunity how much he was dissatisfied
with their conduct on that occasion. In pursuance of his instructions,
Almendras deprived the principal persons among these loyalists of their
lands and Indians, and exacted heavy contributions from them towards
defraying the expences of the war. He likewise affronted and used them
ill on all occasions, and even on very frivolous pretences. One Don
Gomez de Luna, a principal person among the loyalists of La Plata,
ha