ther chiefs. The Adelantado earnestly conjured
them not to jeopardise the territory of Maiobanexius solely in the
interests of Guarionex. He advised Maiobanexius, if he did not wish to
be ruined himself and to be treated as an enemy, to give him up.

When his envoys returned, Maiobanexius called together his people and
explained the conditions. The people cried that Guarionex must be
surrendered, cursing and execrating the day he had come amongst them
to disturb their tranquillity. The cacique reminded them, however,
that Guarionex was a hero, and had rendered him services when he
fled to him for protection, for he had brought him royal presents.
Moreover, he had taught both the cacique himself and his wife to
sing and dance, a thing not to be held in mediocre consideration.
Maiobanexius was determined never to surrender the prince who had
appealed to his protection, and whom he had promised to defend. He was
prepared to risk the gravest perils with him rather than to merit the
reproach of having betrayed his guest. Despite the complaints of the
people, the cacique dissolved the assembly, and calling Guarionex to
him, he pledged himself for the second time to protect him and to
share his fortunes as long as he lived.

Maiobanexius resolved to give no further information to the
Adelantado: on the contrary he ordered his first messenger to station
himself with some faithful soldiers at a place on the road where the
Adelantado's envoys usually passed, and to kill any Spaniards who
appeared, without further discussion. The Adelantado had just sent
his messengers, and both these men, one of whom was a prisoner
from Ciguana and the other from amongst the native allies, were
decapitated. The Adelantado, escorted by only ten foot-soldiers and
four horsemen, followed his envoys and discovered their bodies lying
in the road, which so incensed him that he determined to no longer
spare Maiobanexius. He invaded the cacique's village of Capronus with
his army. The caciques fled in every direction, abandoning their
chief, who withdrew with his entire family into places of concealment
in the mountain districts. Some others of the Ciguana people sought to
capture Guarionex, since he was the occasion of the catastrophe; but
he succeeded in escaping and concealed himself almost alone amidst
the rocks and desert mountains. The soldiers of the Adelantado were
exhausted by this long war, which dragged on for three months; the
watches, the