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CHAPTER XXII
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    How Gonzalo Pizarro arrived, with his followers1, at a place where Indians had formerly2 settled but had been driven out in a war, and the Spaniards found a very great quantity of yucas, by means of which they were restored to health and their lives were saved; and of the hardships they went through.

HAVING arrived at the yuca plantation3 in the way we have recounted, and seeing that there were abundant roots to sustain them, the Spaniards felt that our Lord had shown them the greatest mercy in the world, and such was their joy that they shed many tears, giving Him thanks. In the days that they were there, the native servants having failed them, they themselves grated the yucas by means of very sharp thorns that grow on certain trees in those forests, and made bread of the meal, finding it to be as wholesome4 as the white rusks of Utrera. Assuredly Gonzalo Pizarro performed great service in this expedition. If he had not afterwards blemished5 his fame with the name of traitor6, his great services should for ever be held in memory. But in this history, being that of the beginning or childhood of the deeds done by the Spaniards in these realms, we shall record the events as they happened, neither failing to mention the evil deeds and atrocities7, nor omitting to relate the good works.

Returning to our narrative8, the yucas which the Spaniards found in this locality, where there is nothing else in those dense9 and evil forests, were an immense resource.

As the Indians had formerly lived on those flats, and their principal sustenance10 is yuca, they had laid out great plantations11 of this root, extending for more than forty leagues. But their neighbours having fought with these[72] natives until they were driven from thence, all that yuca harvest remained to enable the Spaniards to restore their well-being12 with it. At the end of eight days Gonzalo Pizarro ordered that all should depart and travel up stream, to see if God, our Lord, would be pleased to guide the expedition to some good land, or back to that from which they had come. At that plantation two Spaniards died through eating too many yucas. Others swelled13 in such a way that they could not walk on their feet. They were put on the horses, in the saddles, and secured with cords so that they should not fall off, for they had not strength to keep on horseback. Although they complained, they were not helped, for the others said that they were acting14 like rogues15, and that there was nothing the matter with them.

Spaniards went in front of the main body, opening a road through the forest with axes and wood knives. Many had to go barefoot, for they had no alpargates[43] nor anything else to put on. They believed that Orellana and the others who went down the river were dead, either from starvation or at the hands of the Indians. Some Spaniards always marched in the rear guard, not allowing any to lag behind, the sick being put on the horses, as we have already said. They marched along the banks for forty leagues, always finding yuca plantations; but the horses were so lean and weak that they were of little use. When they had completed those forty leagues they came to a small settlement of natives, but they had no interpreter to ask them what they wanted to know. When the natives saw the Spaniards with horses, they were terrified, got into their canoes, and from thence made signs and brought some of their food for the Spaniards. They pitched it ashore16 to them in exchange for hawks17' bells, combs, and other trifles which the Spaniards always carried[73] with them. They went on from this place for eight days; exploring the region up stream, and always finding it sparsely18 settled like the one they had left. After they had travelled for these eight days there were no longer any Indians, nor any track leading in any direction, because the natives from this point used the river as their only road. By signs the natives said that there were no roads and no provisions farther on. When the Spaniards heard this they sought for food from the store the Indians had; as much as each one could carry on his back and on the horses.

Gonzalo Pizarro was very sad. He knew not in what land he was, nor what direction to take to reach Peru or any other part where there were Christians20. He took counsel with Don Antonio, Sancho de Caravajal, Villegas, Funes, and Juan de Acosta. Their conclusion was that Gonzalo Díaz de Pineda should be sent out in two canoes strongly lashed21 together, to explore the river, with Indians to help in working them up stream. He was to go up and try to find a well-peopled locality, and then Gonzalo Pizarro would follow with the whole camp. Gonzalo Díaz presently started in the canoes, taking with him a cross-bow and an arquebus; and Gonzalo Pizarro also set out with the rest. But he was in great anxiety, for the Spaniards were in a very bad state. They had eaten nothing but the yucas, and this brought on a flux22 which wore them out; besides that they all went with bare feet and legs, for they had nothing in the way of shoes, except that a few made a sort of sandal from the leather of the saddles. The road was all through forest, and full of prickly trees: so that their feet got scratched all over, and their legs were constantly pierced by the many thorns. In this condition they went on, nearly dead with hunger, naked and barefooted, covered with sores, opening the road with their swords; while it rained so that on many days they never saw the sun and could not get dry. They cursed themselves many[74] times for having come to suffer such hardships and privations, which they could well have avoided, Peru being so large and populous23 a country, where all may obtain relief.

Those who went in the canoe made a signal every night, to show how they went forward, and Gonzalo Pizarro with his followers worked their way through the forest in the laborious24 manner we have described. So they went on for fifty-six leagues, Pizarro by land and Gonzalo Díaz on the river. They met no natives, and had no food but the yucas they brought with them and the insipid25 wild fruits they found among those mountains. Gonzalo Díaz, who went on the river, reflecting that they had gone fifty leagues without striking anything, was very sad. He thought that Gonzalo Pizarro and all his men must die of hunger, as they could find no inhabited land. One day, at the hour of compline, they encountered a strong current which they were unable to stem, so they jumped ashore. On a trunk of a tree, brought down by the current, they sat pondering over their misery26. They were very anxious, thinking that it would be impossible for Gonzalo Pizarro and the others to reach this place, owing to the density27 of the forest and the large affluents28 that came to join the river. As they were thus thinking, Don Pedro de Bustamente, who accompanied Gonzalo Díaz, stood up and saw a canoe at a bend of the river near where they were, and in a little while fourteen or fifteen more appeared, there being eight or nine Indians in each canoe with their arms and shields. As soon as they saw the canoes, the captain Gonzalo Díaz got fire from his flint and steel, and with it he lighted the match of the arquebus. Bustamente took the cross-bow, and putting a shaft29 into it, they held them ready until they saw what the Indians, who came on careless of being about to meet the Spaniards, would do. When they came within range, Gonzalo Díaz pointed30 the arquebus and hit an Indian in the breast, who presently fell into the[75] river dead. Bustamente, with the cross-bow, let fly a shaft and hit another in the arm, who very quickly pulled it out and turned to hurl31 the missile at him who shot it off. Then with loud yells, they hurled32 many darts33 and arrows. The two Spaniards as quickly loaded the arquebus again and set the cross-bow. With these they killed two more Indians, and then, laying hold of their swords and shields, they approached the enemy in their canoe.

The Indians, astounded34 at seeing four of their number dead, began a flight in their canoes down the river. The Spaniards followed, shooting at them with the arquebus. This scared them so that they left the canoes and jumped into the river. The Spaniards took some of the canoes and found food in them of the kind used by the Indians, for which they gave thanks to Our Lord, for it was many days since they had tasted anything but roots and herbs which they found on the banks of the river. These Indians had come from a river which is different from this one, and two of them, with two canoes, had been fishing when they saw the Spaniards and went to give the alarm to their village. So the people of the village came out by a creek35 which falls into the river, thinking to take or kill the Spaniards. The event turned out as you have heard. Gonzalo Díaz and Bustamente, after they had eaten, cut some crosses on trees near the river with their swords, so that if Gonzalo Pizarro and his people should come that way, they would know that they had been there and gone on. That night they resumed their voyage up the river, and the morning dawned very clear. Casting their eyes towards the south they saw a range of very high mountains, at which they rejoiced greatly for they thought it must be the Cordillera of Quito, or that which lies near the cities of Popayán and Cali. In that case the Spaniards would not be lost, for God our Lord would guide them to a Christian19 land. Presently they found some stones, at a rapid. Never[76] before had they seen any in the more than 300 leagues that they had traversed. Having gone so far up the river, they determined36 to go back and see whether Gonzalo Pizarro and his people were coming. Leaving some of the food and canoes, they turned back down the river, and what had taken them eleven days to accomplish in going up, they now covered in a day and a half.

Gonzalo Pizarro continued to advance with his people, suffering terribly from famine, for now they had eaten all the dogs, numbering more than nine hundred, except two: one belonging to Gonzalo Pizarro, and the other to Don Antonio Rivera. They had also eaten most of the horses they had brought. The Spaniards were so tired and worn out, that they could hardly walk, while several died in the forest. Going down the river Gonzalo Díaz heard the noise of people cutting the trees with their swords. Very joyfully37 he landed at the spot the Spaniards had reached, and they were delighted to see each other. Gonzalo Pizarro was coming with the rear-guard, lest any of the Spaniards should drop and be left for dead. When Gonzalo Díaz heard this he got into the canoe again and went to meet him. We cannot describe the joy they felt at seeing each other, for Díaz had believed Pizarro to be already dead.[44] He and Bustamente related to Gonzalo Pizarro how they had come back to seek for him, because in going up the river they had encountered armed Indians, and God had delivered them out of their hands, and given them strength to kill four of them with the arquebus and cross-bow, making them take to flight and abandon their canoes, in which they found some food. They also reported having seen very high mountains and that they believed that they would there find inhabitants, or a road which would lead to a land of Christians. They[77] also said they had found a great beach on the river, covered with stones. Gonzalo Pizarro rejoiced at this news. We will here leave off writing about him, to relate other important things which happened within the Realm.


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1 followers 5c342ee9ce1bf07932a1f66af2be7652     
追随者( follower的名词复数 ); 用户; 契据的附面; 从动件
参考例句:
  • the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
  • The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。
2 formerly ni3x9     
adv.从前,以前
参考例句:
  • We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
  • This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。
3 plantation oOWxz     
n.种植园,大农场
参考例句:
  • His father-in-law is a plantation manager.他岳父是个种植园经营者。
  • The plantation owner has possessed himself of a vast piece of land.这个种植园主把大片土地占为己有。
4 wholesome Uowyz     
adj.适合;卫生的;有益健康的;显示身心健康的
参考例句:
  • In actual fact the things I like doing are mostly wholesome.实际上我喜欢做的事大都是有助于增进身体健康的。
  • It is not wholesome to eat without washing your hands.不洗手吃饭是不卫生的。
5 blemished 380a7057c46b4813b7938e30088461de     
v.有损…的完美,玷污( blemish的过去式 )
参考例句:
  • His reputation was blemished by that article. 他的名声被那篇文章玷污了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The scandal has blemished her shining reputation. 这件丑闻损害了她辉煌的声誉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 traitor GqByW     
n.叛徒,卖国贼
参考例句:
  • The traitor was finally found out and put in prison.那个卖国贼终于被人发现并被监禁了起来。
  • He was sold out by a traitor and arrested.他被叛徒出卖而被捕了。
7 atrocities 11fd5f421aeca29a1915a498e3202218     
n.邪恶,暴行( atrocity的名词复数 );滔天大罪
参考例句:
  • They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
8 narrative CFmxS     
n.叙述,故事;adj.叙事的,故事体的
参考例句:
  • He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
  • Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。
9 dense aONzX     
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的
参考例句:
  • The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
  • The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。
10 sustenance mriw0     
n.食物,粮食;生活资料;生计
参考例句:
  • We derive our sustenance from the land.我们从土地获取食物。
  • The urban homeless are often in desperate need of sustenance.城市里无家可归的人极其需要食物来维持生命。
11 plantations ee6ea2c72cc24bed200cd75cf6fbf861     
n.种植园,大农场( plantation的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Soon great plantations, supported by slave labor, made some families very wealthy. 不久之后出现了依靠奴隶劳动的大庄园,使一些家庭成了富豪。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
  • Winterborne's contract was completed, and the plantations were deserted. 维恩特波恩的合同完成后,那片林地变得荒废了。 来自辞典例句
12 well-being Fe3zbn     
n.安康,安乐,幸福
参考例句:
  • He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
  • My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福,却被误解为多管闲事。
13 swelled bd4016b2ddc016008c1fc5827f252c73     
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情)
参考例句:
  • The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染,他的手肿了起来。
  • After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后,河水猛涨。
14 acting czRzoc     
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的
参考例句:
  • Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她,她只是假装的。
  • During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代,她的表演生涯黯然失色。
15 rogues dacf8618aed467521e2383308f5bb4d9     
n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 );无赖;调皮捣蛋的人;离群的野兽
参考例句:
  • 'I'll show these rogues that I'm an honest woman,'said my mother. “我要让那些恶棍知道,我是个诚实的女人。” 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
  • The rogues looked at each other, but swallowed the home-thrust in silence. 那些恶棍面面相觑,但只好默默咽下这正中要害的话。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
16 ashore tNQyT     
adv.在(向)岸上,上岸
参考例句:
  • The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前,孩子们就上岸了。
  • He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。
17 hawks c8b4f3ba2fd1208293962d95608dd1f1     
鹰( hawk的名词复数 ); 鹰派人物,主战派人物
参考例句:
  • Two hawks were hover ing overhead. 两只鹰在头顶盘旋。
  • Both hawks and doves have expanded their conditions for ending the war. 鹰派和鸽派都充分阐明了各自的停战条件。
18 sparsely 9hyzxF     
adv.稀疏地;稀少地;不足地;贫乏地
参考例句:
  • Relative to the size, the city is sparsely populated. 与其面积相比,这个城市的人口是稀少的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The ground was sparsely covered with grass. 地面上稀疏地覆盖草丛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
19 Christian KVByl     
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒
参考例句:
  • They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
  • His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。
20 Christians 28e6e30f94480962cc721493f76ca6c6     
n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
  • His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。
21 lashed 4385e23a53a7428fb973b929eed1bce6     
adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 );煽动;紧系;怒斥
参考例句:
  • The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。
  • The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》
22 flux sg4zJ     
n.流动;不断的改变
参考例句:
  • The market is in a constant state of flux.市场行情在不断变化。
  • In most reactors,there is a significant flux of fast neutrons.在大部分反应堆中都有一定强度的快中子流。
23 populous 4ORxV     
adj.人口稠密的,人口众多的
参考例句:
  • London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
  • China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。
24 laborious VxoyD     
adj.吃力的,努力的,不流畅
参考例句:
  • They had the laborious task of cutting down the huge tree.他们接受了伐大树的艰苦工作。
  • Ants and bees are laborious insects.蚂蚁与蜜蜂是勤劳的昆虫。
25 insipid TxZyh     
adj.无味的,枯燥乏味的,单调的
参考例句:
  • The food was rather insipid and needed gingering up.这食物缺少味道,需要加点作料。
  • She said she was a good cook,but the food she cooked is insipid.她说她是个好厨师,但她做的食物却是无味道的。
26 misery G10yi     
n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦
参考例句:
  • Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
  • He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。
27 density rOdzZ     
n.密集,密度,浓度
参考例句:
  • The population density of that country is 685 per square mile.那个国家的人口密度为每平方英里685人。
  • The region has a very high population density.该地区的人口密度很高。
28 affluents bbf3f446d25408c5d2be27fc8a004fd5     
n.富裕的,富足的( affluent的名词复数 )
参考例句:
29 shaft YEtzp     
n.(工具的)柄,杆状物
参考例句:
  • He was wounded by a shaft.他被箭击中受伤。
  • This is the shaft of a steam engine.这是一个蒸汽机主轴。
30 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
31 hurl Yc4zy     
vt.猛投,力掷,声叫骂
参考例句:
  • The best cure for unhappiness is to hurl yourself into your work.医治愁苦的最好办法就是全身心地投入工作。
  • To hurl abuse is no way to fight.谩骂决不是战斗。
32 hurled 16e3a6ba35b6465e1376a4335ae25cd2     
v.猛投,用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 );大声叫骂
参考例句:
  • He hurled a brick through the window. 他往窗户里扔了块砖。
  • The strong wind hurled down bits of the roof. 大风把屋顶的瓦片刮了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
33 darts b1f965d0713bbf1014ed9091c7778b12     
n.掷飞镖游戏;飞镖( dart的名词复数 );急驰,飞奔v.投掷,投射( dart的第三人称单数 );向前冲,飞奔
参考例句:
  • His darts trophy takes pride of place on the mantelpiece. 他将掷镖奖杯放在壁炉顶上最显著的地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I never saw so many darts in a bodice! 我从没见过紧身胸衣上纳了这么多的缝褶! 来自《简明英汉词典》
34 astounded 7541fb163e816944b5753491cad6f61a     
v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词);愕然;愕;惊讶
参考例句:
  • His arrogance astounded her. 他的傲慢使她震惊。
  • How can you say that? I'm absolutely astounded. 你怎么能说出那种话?我感到大为震惊。
35 creek 3orzL     
n.小溪,小河,小湾
参考例句:
  • He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
  • People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。
36 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的;有决心的
参考例句:
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
37 joyfully joyfully     
adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地
参考例句:
  • She tripped along joyfully as if treading on air. 她高兴地走着,脚底下轻飘飘的。
  • During these first weeks she slaved joyfully. 在最初的几周里,她干得很高兴。


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