ndred from the mountains.
But, with the help of God, if you stand firm, I have no doubt of
defeating them all." Leaving Nasca, Giron marched by way of Lucanas, by
the mountain road, intending to take post on the lake of Parinacocha
before Alvarado might be able to reach that place. He accordingly left
Nasca on the 8th of May[47] for this purpose.

[Footnote 47: Although Garcilasso omits the date of the year, it
probably was in 1554, as the rebellion of Giron commenced in the
November immediately preceding.--E.]

In the mean time pursuing his march, Alvarado and his army entered upon
the desert of _Parihuanacocha_, where above sixty of his best horses
died, in consequence of the bad and craggy roads, the unhealthiness of
the climate, and continued tempestuous weather, though led by hand and
well covered with clothes. When the two armies approached each other,
Alvarado sent a detachment of an hundred and fifty select musqueteers
to attack the camp of Giron, and marched forwards with the main body of
his army to support that detachment. An engagement accordingly took
place in rough and strong ground, encumbered with trees brushwood and
rocks, in which the royalists could make no impression on the rebels,
and were obliged to retire with the loss of forty of their best men
killed or wounded. In the following night, Juan de Piedrahita
endeavoured ineffectually to retaliate, by assailing the camp of
Alvarado, and was obliged to retreat at daybreak. Receiving notice from
a deserter that the rebel army consisted only of about four hundred men,
in want of provisions, and most of them inclined to revolt from Giron
and return to their duty, Alvarado determined upon giving battle,
contrary to the opinion and earnest advice of all his principal officers
and followers. But so strong was the position of the enemy, and the
approaches so extremely difficult, that the royal army fell into
confusion in the attack, and were easily defeated with considerable
loss, and fled in all directions, many of them being slain by the
Indians during their dispersed flight.

On receiving the afflicting news of this defeat, the judges ordered the
army which they had drawn together at Lima to march by way of Guamanga
against the rebels. In the mean time Giron remained for forty days in
his camp at Chuquinca, where the battle was fought, taking care of his
wounded men and of the wounded royalists, many of whom now joined his
party. He sent off however hi