them to be
hamstrung, to prevent them from being useful to the enemy. While on this
march in pursuit of the viceroy, Gonzalo Pizarro was joined by Captain
Bachicao, who now returned from Tierra Firma with a reinforcement of
three hundred and fifty men and a large quantity of artillery, having
disembarked, from twenty vessels which he had procured, on a part of
the coast as near as possible to Quito, and had made his way in such a
manner across the mountains that he got to Quito rather before Gonzalo.
On the junction of Bachicao, Gonzalo found himself at the head of more
than eight hundred men, among whom were many of the principal people in
South America, both townsmen or burgesses, planters, and soldiers. Owing
to this large reinforcement, Gonzalo Pizarro found himself in such a
state of tranquil security at Quito as hardly any usurper or tyrant had
ever before enjoyed; as besides that this province abounded in
provisions of every kind, several rich mines of gold had been recently
discovered; and as most of the principal people of the province were
either now along with the viceroy, or had attached themselves to him
while at Quito, Gonzalo Pizarro appropriated all their Indians to
himself, employing them in the collection of gold. From the Indians
belonging to the treasurer, Rodrigo Nunnez de Bonilla, he procured about
800 marks [17] of gold in the course of eight months; besides that there
were other repartimientos of greater value, and that he appropriated all
the revenues and rights belonging to the crown, and even pillaged the
tombs of the ancient sovereigns of Quito in search of treasure.

[Footnote 17: Eight hundred marks of gold, or 6400 ounces, at L.4 an
ounce; are worth L.25,600: and at six for one, the value put upon
bullion in those days by the Historian of America, are now worth at
least L.153,600, perhaps a quarter of a million. As there were other
repartimientos of more value than those of the treasurer, besides others
not so valuable, it is not beyond bounds to suppose that Gonzalo may
have acquired as much treasure at Quito as was equal to a million of our
present money: A prodigious sum, considering that his army did not
exceed 800 men; being equal to L.1250 for each soldier.--E.]

After a short stay at Quito, Gonzalo learnt that the viceroy had halted
at the city of Parto, about forty leagues from thence, at the frontiers
of the government of Benalcazar. Resolving to follow him, Gonzalo pushed
on as