, which he did accordingly. On this occasion Mexia went to meet
him, in a barge attended by twenty musqueteers, leaving the rest of his
troops drawn up on the beach. Mexia immediately left his own barge, and
accompanied the president in his boat to the shore, where he caused him
to be received with every mark of respect, under a salute from the
troops.

After landing, the president, in a private conference, gave Mexia an
account of the object of his voyage to Peru; on which Mexia expressed
his determined resolution to yield implicit obedience to the royal
orders, and to devote his services accordingly to the president. He
declared, that he had long and anxiously waited the arrival of some
person possessing authority to put an end to the troubles; and that,
fortunately, circumstances were now extremely favourable for this
purpose, without any one to oppose, as he was now the sole commander of
most of the troops belonging to Gonzalo Pizarro in that neighbourhood,
the greater part of which were now in Nombre de Dios. Mexia said farther
that, Hinojosa and the other captains having gone to Panama, he found
himself at liberty to declare himself openly for his majesty, if that
were judged proper by the president; and that they might then go in
company to Panama, where they would easily become masters of the fleet
in that port, by means which he explained; and that he was likewise
convinced that, when Hinojosa and the other captains were informed of
the powers and intentions of the president, they would receive him with
all submission. The president thanked Mexia for his good intentions,
observing that it was necessary to use lenient measures on this
occasion, as his majesty was very desirous to restore the country to
peace and good order, without having recourse to warlike measures, if it
could possibly be accomplished. As it was obvious to every one, that the
chief cause of the disturbances was owing to the inflexible rigour of
the late viceroy, he wished, therefore, that it might be known by all,
that his majesty wished to remedy all grievances in the most gracious
manner; and he trusted, therefore, when it was publickly known that all
might expect safety and pardon by returning to their duty, that all the
colonists would evince their respectful loyalty by tendering their
services, rather than continue in rebellion against the sovereign. The
president concluded by declaring his resolution to refrain from any
endeavour to use