y the priest, stating that they were deputed to act as
commissioners, and proposed that the enemy should retire to a distance,
while the chiefs should meet them midway between the troops and the
town. No objection was made, and young Andres, Manco, and other chiefs,
with about twenty followers, repaired to the proposed spot. Scarcely
had they arrived there than some of their sentinels, posted on a
neighbouring hill overlooking the town, gave notice that the Spaniards
were collecting in great force at the gates, and were evidently
meditating a sortie to capture the chiefs. On this the two Spaniards
who were approaching the place of meeting, attempted to escape into the
town; but the Indians intercepting them, cut them down as a strong party
of the garrison rushed from the gates. The chiefs, vowing vengeance for
the meditated treachery, had barely time to retreat; their forces came
hurrying up for their protection; and the siege once more commenced with
greater activity than before.

The Indians mustered nearly a thousand muskets, with which they kept up
a hot fire on the trenches: besides which, they assailed the town with
flights of arrows, showers of stones and burning darts, which set fire
to many of the houses where they fell. Still the town held out, and the
leaders, anxious to proceed to other conquests, sent in a third summons
to the garrison to surrender. Another priest was the bearer. I waited
with much anxiety for his return, as the Indians had vowed to destroy
all the inhabitants, should the town be taken after their offer had a
third time been refused. I was not, indeed, quite certain that, in case
of a surrender, some of the chiefs and their followers did not meditate
treachery. They were, it must be remembered, ignorant savages, and on
too many occasions the Spaniards had set them an example they were
likely to imitate.

I took my food each day with Manco on a hill overlooking the town, from
whence a perfect view could be obtained of the whole scene of
operations. During the absence of the envoy hostilities had ceased, and
the Indians had withdrawn to a distance from the trenches. They now
formed a circle round the town, their cavalry occupying every level
space, and the infantry covering the surrounding hills with dense
masses. The river flowed calmly by; the valleys looked bright and
smiling; and the town itself seemed wrapped in perfect repose. Alas! it
was the repose which precedes dissolu