of the message which the gouernour sent to quigalta, and of the answere which he returned; and of the things which happened in this time.

as soone as the gouernour come to guachoya, hee sent iohn danusco with as many men as could goe in the canoes vp the riuer. for when they came downe from nilco, they saw on the other side the riuer new cabins made. iohn danusco went and brought the canoes loden with maiz, french beanes, prunes, and many loaues made of the substance of prunes. that day came an indian to the gouernour from the cacique of guachoya, and said, that his lord would come the next day. the next day they saw many canoes come vp the riuer, and on the other side of the great riuer, they assembled together in the space of an houre: they consulted whether they should come or not; and at length concluded to come, and crossed the riuer. in them came the cacique of guachoya, and brought with him manie indians with great store of fish, dogges, deeres skinnes, and mantles: and assoone as they landed, they went to the lodging of the gouernour, and presented him their gifts, and the cacique vttered these words:

mightie and excellent lord, i beseech your lordship to pardon mee the errour which i committed in absenting my selfe, and not tarrying in this towne to haue receiued and serued your lordship; since, to obtaine this opportunitie of time, was, and is as much as a great victorie to me. but i feared that, which i needed not to haue feared, and so did that which was not reason to do; but as haste maketh waste, and i remoued without deliberation; so, as soone as i thought on it, i determined not to follow the opinion of the foolish, which is, to continue in their errour; but to imitate the wise and discreet, in changing my counsell, and so i came to see what your lordship will command me to doe, that i may serue you in all things that are in my power.

the gouernour receiued him with much ioy, and gaue him thankes for his present and offer. he asked him, whether hee had any notice of the sea. hee answered, no, nor of any townes downe the riuer on that side; saue that two leagues from thence was one towne of a principall indian a subiect of his; and on the other side of the riuer, three daies iourney from thence downe the riuer, was the prouince of quigalta, which was the greatest lord that was in that countrie. the gouernour thought that the cacique lied vnto him, to rid him out of his owne townes, and sent iohn danusco with eight horsemen downe the riuer, to see what habitation there was, and to informe himselfe, if there were any notice of the sea. hee trauelled eight daies, and at his returne hee said, that in all that time he was not able to go aboue 14. or 15. leagues, because of the great creekes that came out of the riuer, and groues of canes, and thicke woods that were along the banks of the riuer, and that hee had found no habitation. the gouernor falleth sick of thought. the gouernour fell into great dumps to see how hard it was to get to the sea: and worse, because his men and horses euery day diminished, being without succour to sustaine themselues in the country: and with that thought he fell sick. but before he tooke his bed hee sent an indian to the cacique at quigalta to tell him, that hee was the childe of the sunne, and that all the way that hee came all men obeyed and serued him, that he requested him to accept of his friendship, and come vnto him; for he would be very glad to see him; and in signe of loue and obedience to bring something with him of that which in his countrie was most esteemed. the cacique answered by the same indian:

a most wittie and stout answere of the cacique of quigalta. that whereas he said he was the child of the sunne, if he would drie vp the riuer he would beleeue him: and touching the rest, that he was wont to visit none; but rather that all those of whom he had notice did visit him, serued, obeyed and paid him tributes willingly or perforce: therefore if hee desired to see him, it were best he should come thither: that if hee came in peace, he would receiue him with speciall good will; and if in warre, in like manner hee would attend him in the towne where he was, and that for him or any other hee would not shrinke one foote backe.

by that time the indian returned with this answere, the gouernour had betaken himselfe to bed, being euill handled with feuers, and was much agrieued, that he was not in case to passe presently the riuer and to seeke him, to see if he could abate that pride of his, considering the riuer went now very strongly in those parts; for it was neere halfe a league broad, and 16. fathomes deep, and very furious, and ranne with a great current; and on both sides there were many indians, and his power was not now so great, but that hee had need to helpe himselfe rather by slights then by force. the indians of guachoya came euery day with fish in such numbers, that the towne was full of them. the cacique said, that on a certaine night hee of quigalta would come to giue battell to the gouernour. which the gouernour imagined that he had deuised, to driue him out of his countrey, and commanded him to bee put in hold: and that night and all the rest, there was good watch kept. hee asked him wherefore quigalta came not? he said that hee came, but that he saw him prepared, and therefore durst not giue the attempt: and hee was earnest with him to send his captaines ouer the riuer, and that he would aide him with many men to set vpon quigalta. the gouernour told him that assoone as he was recouered, himselfe would seeke him out. and seeing how many indians came daily to the towne, and what store of people was in that countrie, fearing they should al conspire together and plot some treason against him; and because the towne had some open gaps which were not made an end of inclosing, besides the gates which they went in and out by: because the indians should not thinke he feared them, he let them all alone vnrepaired; and commanded the horsemen to be appointed to them, and to the gates: and all night the horsemen went the round; and two and two of euery squadron rode about, and visited the skouts that were without the towne in their standings by the passages, and the crossebowmen that kept the canoes in the riuer. and because the indians should stand in feare of him, hee determined to send a captaine to nilco, for those of guachoya had told him that it was inhabited; that by vsing them cruelly, neither the one nor the other should presume to assaile him; and hee sent nunnez de touar with fifteene horsemen, and iohn de guzman captaine of the footmen with his companie, in canoes vp the riuer. the cacique of guachoya sent for many canoes and many warlike indians to goe with the christians: and the captaine of the christians, called nunnez de touar, went by land with his horsemen, and two leagues before he came to nilco hee staied for iohn de guzman, and in that place they passed the riuer by night: the horsemen came first, and in the morning by breake of day in sight of the towne they lighted upon a spie; which assoone as he perceiued the christians, crying out amaine fled to the towne to giue warning. nunnez de touar and his companie made such speed, that before the indians of the towne could fully come out, they were vpon them: it was champion ground that was inhabited, which was about a quarter of a league. five or sixe thousand people in nilco. there were about fiue or sixe thousand people in the towne: and, as many people came out of the houses, and fled from one house to another, and many indians came flocking together from all parts, there was neuer a horseman that was not alone among many. the captaine had commanded that they should not spare the life of any male. their disorder was so great, that there was no indian that shot an arrow at any christian. the shreekes of women and children were so great, that they made the eares deafe of those that followed them. there were slaine an hundred indians, little more or lesse: and many were wounded with great wounds, whom they suffered to escape to strike a terror in the rest that were not there. there were some so cruell and butcherlike, that they killed old and young, and all that they met, though they made no resistance: and those which presumed of themselues for their valour, and were taken for such, brake through the indians, bearing downe many with their stirrops and brests of their horses; and some they wounded with their lances, and so let them goe: and when they saw any youth or woman they tooke them, and deliuered them to the footmen. “these mens sinnes by gods permission lighted on their own heads: who, because they would seeme valiant, became cruell; shewing themselues extreme cowards in the sight of all men, when as most neede of valour was required, and, afterward1 they came to a shameful death.” of the indians of nilco were taken prisoners, fourescore women and children, and much spoile. the indians of guachoya kept back before they came at the towne, and staied without, beholding the successe of the christians with the men of nilco. and when they saw them put to flight, and the horsemen busie in killing of them, they hastened to the houses to rob, and filled their canoes with the spoile of the goods; and returned to guachoya before the christians; and wondring much at the sharpe dealing which they had seene them vse toward the indians of nilco, they told their cacique all that had passed with great astonishment.