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.

BooK V. Royal Comment'aries.':_ but loíl che lives of all chofe who belonged to cheir Party, as we fhall fee here- · afrer. To perform chis aétion two hundred choice Souldiers were detached and moun~ ted on Horfe-back, and with them thirry Lances ; and to march with tbe lefs in- cumbrance, they were to carry no Baggage but fuch as wa.s neceífary for the Men, ~nd Horfes, and Mules. And as to the faying of Car?Jajal, that he íhouldmake bis Bed with four Quilts and a pair of Holland Sheets, and that .che Mufquets íbould 'be charged with Powder onely and withour Shor, his meabing was, thac he fhould make all haíle poffible, and that onely by giving the Enemy a true al- arm, without farther aétion they·fhould ov.ercorne and defeat,them. And as to bis faying, that though all the Devils in Hell fhould help them, &c. it was tG ex- ¡>refs che diligenc~ and expedirion the Enemy would ufe in framing the Bridge ; the which was the ufual form and manner .which this great Captain uied in ex- preffing his mind. · CH A P. XXXII. The Prefident comes to the R~v1er of A purimac. The diffi- culties and Jangers they find i!!- the paf!age. J ohn de Acoíl:a defends the Pafs.. The· little care and ill ,Con- . dull he fhewed in a!J thi5 laftion. · . .. 1 N Otwithíl:anding all the haíl:e and diligence the Prefident ánd his Captains could mak they could not reach the Bridge that nighr, but were forced to . ftop two leagues íhort, by reafon that it·was dark; but fo foon as the Moon arofe they began their J ourney again, being forced to walk a great part there©f on foor, by reafon of che ruggednefs of the way. About eight a Clock in che lñotrung they arrived at the Bridge, and with ali the diligence they could ufe they could not lay che firíl Stranhe before noon. The fecond was firted and laid about fe- ven a Clock in the evening, over which they caíl: boughs and thin boards faíl:ned together with fplit Canes. About ten a Clock at night the firíl: Ranks began to pafs ; and fome few Souldiers were ferried over in a float hewed out of a piece of Wood which they cal! Maguey, which is very light, and fomething like chofe Goards or CalabafM which grow in thofe €oantries, and may be as thick as aman:.s Leg: thefe Boats are drawn with Cords from one fide of the River to rhe other. The Horfes fwam over with great danger ofbeing drowned; for on the fides of the River tbere being no place made for them to enter in gemly, they forced -and plunged rhem in from che fide of the Bank, where che íl:ream was fo rapid that it carried.them clown and caíl: them againíl: the Rocks, where, meeting wirh whirle- pools, they were. turned quite round, and rherein (as Car11te reports, Book the fecond Chapter che fifth) above fixty Horfe were drowned, and many others were lamed. And though that Coumrey was nota place for Horfes to fight in by reafon of the Rocks and mountainous ways, yet they haíl:ned over with ali di- ligence poffible, leíl: the Enemy fhould furprife them before they had finiíhed their paffage. And indeed there was good ground to apprehend the coming of che. Enemy, for tbe paffitge was very dangerous in the time of War, which· Carvajal fo well knew that he.defired no other advamage over the Enemy than rhat. And indeed the difliculties of rhat River are fuch , and the Moumains on each fide are_ fo rocky and high, that tbey are at leaíl: two leagues perpendicular in height, the which I can atteíl, having feen them my felf. And rherefore it was not withouc reafon tbat Carvajal demanded this employrnent for hirnfelf, and when he was denied, that he complaimed of his hard for.tune ; being well affiired, .in·cafe rhey would have intruíl:ed tbe management of this afüon unto him, to have recomed with Viélory; for he knew and was acquainted with the difficult.y of rhe pa,ffiige at Cotapampa. By