The royal commentaries of Peru : in two parts / written originally in spanish by the Inca Garcilasso de la Vega; rendred into english by sir Paul Rycaut.

R.oyal Commentarie1. BooK l. C H A P. IX. ri~ar.ri0 js fmf4k_en hy ali hu Souldiers, onely thirteen Com- pc¡nions remain with Pim. W. Hen Almagro recurned to PaHama, it was then about a year fince this En- terpri[e was firíl: begun, at which time be found a new Governour, called · Pedro de los Rios, a Gent)eman of Corhva, who having received and perufed rhe Peti- rion of the Souldiers, he fent a certain Jqdge, called Taf11r, to theCock líland, wirh Comm~íljon to free al! füch as íhould be defüous to remrn unto Panama. .This Report be~ng rumoured abroad, fuch as befare had eng_aged th~rniélves to go wirh Almagro, began to wirhdraw themfelves, fayiqg, that fince chofe who were alrea- dy on the place, were weary of their Einployrnent, and deGrous to remtn home, it would he to little purpofe for thern to take up the Cudgels which the others had laid down; rhe which misfortune Almagro greatly lamented, having loíl: all his hopes; and Pif.arro, when he found himíelf abandoned, and forfaken of all his Men, without regard to that Faith and Eng¡gement of Arrides by which rhey had affociated themfelves with him, he remai~d perplexed, and diftraél:ed with great confuhon of Mind ;_ at length plucking ul? fiis .courage, ~hat _he rnight di- fünguifh who were for h1m, and who were agamíl: lum; he la1d hIS hand upan his Sword, and drew ir, and with rhe point thereof he drew a Line on the gromid, towards Pcru, and turning to his Men, faid to them: " Fellow Souldiers, This Line fignifies the Laboqrs, Hunger, Thiríl:, Weari- " nefs, Wounds, Sickneffes, and ali o~her Dangers and Hazards which are to be " füíl:ained to procure this great Conqueíl:, even to the lofs perhaps of Life ir- " felf: Whofoever finds himfelf endued with Courage fufficient to undeq~o chis " great Tria!, and whpfe Heroick Soul is capable of the generous Thoughrs of " rhis Noble Conqueíl:, let him, in token, and for evidence of his brave Spirit, " país on the other fide of rhás Line, which fhall ferve for a Teílimony berween " me and them of their Fairh and Refolucion; and Jet fuch as find in themfelves ~' a Cowardly Spirit, and a Soul too mean for fo fublime an Aétion, ler them " return to Panama; for my pare, 1 will force no Man, being refolved to rernain " here my felf with thofe few that will be my Companions, not doubciog bue- " rhat God, for the Glory and Honour of his moíl: holy Name, will fo a/Iiíl: us " with his Divine Providence, that we fhall find no want of chofe who out of " Fear and Cowardife forfake us. The Spaniards having heard rhe conclufion of rhis Speech, immediately haíl:ed aboard with all fpeed imaginable, leíl: any unlucky accident fhould prevent rheir recurn to Panama ; foras the difficulty and fear of Labour is always more prevalenc in mean and poor Spirits, than rhe thoughts of Honour, or hopes of Riches, fo thefe vile and abjeél: Souls forfook rheir generous Captain, who would have con- duél:ed them ro the heighr of eternal Fame, to return ignominiouíly wirh rheir Judge. Howfoever thirreen remained for Companions witb Pifarro, who could not be corrupred or difcouraged by the ill examples of che Fugirives, bur rather having their Hearts and Spirits more enflamed with Difdain againíl: rhe cowardly and bafe, rhey courageouíly paffed the Line which Pirarro had drawn wirh his Sword, and rhere renewed rheir Vows and Proteíl:ations, of Coníl:ancy and Fairh, promif1ng ro live and dye with their Oiprain and generous Leader. Pi r¡arro having returned thern Thanks, and promiíed rhem rhe Prizes ;ind Re- wards of rheir Conqueíl:s, they paffed over in aBoat to another Iíland, called rhe Gwgona, where rhey endured great wam ofali Provifions, living for feveral monrhs and days on no other füílenance than w1rh Se:i.-weeds, and great Serpem~, and orher creeping Creatures, of which rhat Iíland yields grear abundance; and is rniferably infeíl:ed with Rains, an,9 fubjeét to terrible Lighcnings and Thunder; in ,.