ABSTRACT
Diego de Alvarado left Cuzco, with the others who were ordered by Almagro to make the demand on Alonzo de Alvarado at the bridge of Abancay, and rode until they arrived at the Apurimac where they found the accountant Juan de Guzman and the factor Mercado, and after giving them the letters from the Adelantado, went on with them according to orders. Some of the mounted men who were on guard at the Apurimac bridge did the same, for being few in number, they feared that if the Indians attacked them they would be overcome and killed. So they all arrived at a height overlooking the bridge of Abancay. The guard then returned, and the others went down to the river. A guard was stationed at the bridge by order of Alonzo de Alvarado, who himself, with the rest of the captains and Spaniards, remained in their camp on the height of Cochacaxa, which was a very strong position. Diego Alvarado, Don Alonzo Enriquez, the accountant Juan de Guzman and the others who were with them, told the men guarding the bridge what they had come for and that they wanted to go up to the camp, to see the captain Alonzo de Alvarado. The guards replied that they could not pass until orders had been received as to what was to be done. Two men 49at once went to the camp and reported the arrival of the ambassadors, asking whether they were to be allowed to pass. Alonzo de Alvarado told the men to return to the bridge, for he himself would go down and see them and find out why they came. Summoning the Captains Garcilasso de la Vega, Pero Alvarez Holguin, Diego Gutierrez de los Rios, Gomez de Tordoya, Pedro de Lerma, and some others, he told them that he intended to go down to the river and receive those gentlemen, for they were of such quality that they must be well received, Don Alonzo Enriquez being one of them. He then went down to the river, accompanied by the above captains, ordering that the ambassadors should be allowed to cross the river. When they met they embraced, and many courteous words passed between them. Alonzo de Alvarado invited them to come up to the camp with him, where it would be more convenient to receive their communication. They replied that they would do as he proposed, and they went up hand in hand. Don Alonzo Enriquez enquired whether they had brought many barrels of preserves. A gentleman named Beltran del Salto replied “Yes, Sir! And we bring very good barrels full of fine powder and round balls, if you should have a fancy for them.” Don Alonzo Enriquez answered, that he was quite as ready for one as the other. Soon afterwards they all reached the camp.
