began his march, during which he was unable to procure any
intelligence whatever respecting Gonzalo and his troops, so carefully
were all the passes guarded to prevent either Christians or Indians from
conveying advices on the road towards Popayan. While, on the contrary,
Gonzalo procured regular notice of every step taken by the viceroy, by
means of the Indians called _Cagnares_, a cunning and intelligent race.
Accordingly, when the viceroy was arrived within a few days march of
Quito, Gonzalo returned thither with his troops to join Puelles, and
they marched together to meet the viceroy, who was then at Oravalo about
twelve leagues from Quito. Although the viceroy was at the head of eight
hundred men, and his force increased daily on his approach to Quito,
Gonzalo confided in the valour and experience of his troops, among
which were many of the principal persons in Peru, his soldiers being
inured to war, accustomed to hardships and fatigue, and full of
confidence in themselves from the many victories they had gained.
Gonzalo did every thing in his power to satisfy his troops of the
justice of the cause in which he and they were engaged; representing to
them that Peru had been conquered by him and his brothers; recalling to
their remembrance the cruelties which had been exercised by the viceroy,
particularly in putting to death the commissary Yllan Suarez and several
of his own captains. In the next place, he gave an exaggerated picture
of the tyrannical conduct of the viceroy during the whole period of his
government, owing to which he had been deposed by the royal audience,
and sent out of the country to give an account to the king of his
conduct: Instead of which, he now endeavoured to disturb the colony by
sowing dissensions and encouraging insurrections, and had even levied an
army in other provinces, with which he intended to reduce the country
under his tyrannous rule, and to ruin all its inhabitants. After a long
speech, by which he endeavoured to animate his troops with resentment
against the viceroy, they all declared their readiness to march against
him and bring him to battle. Some were actuated by interested motives,
to prevent the enforcement of the obnoxious regulations; others by a
desire of avenging private injuries; and others again by the fear of
punishment for having taken up arms. But it is not to be concealed, that
the majority acted from dread of the severity of Gonzalo and his
officers, who had al