How the Governor Vaca de Castro, leaving the plains, ascended¹ from Santa by the mountain road, and how he met Gómez de Alvarado, and was annoyed on learning that he came without permission from Alonso de Alvarado; and how the Provincial², Fr. Tomás de San Martín, also arrived.

THE Governor Vaca de Castro arrived at a coast valley they call Santa, where there is a large river, and where great edifices³ and houses, now in ruins, formerly⁴ stood. The plains and meadow lands along the banks of the river were covered with brambles and cane-brakes and dense[196] bush, where great quantities of mosquitos are bred; and at the time when Vaca de Castro was there these were by no means few. It was a great plague, and tormented⁵ the Governor and those who were with him to such an extent that, without tarrying long amidst such malign⁶ company, hasty preparations were made for ascending⁷ the heights. They followed the road to the right of the provinces of Moro and Quizquiz,[99] taking a supply of provisions with them, and some Indians who carried the baggage. The captain Pedro Vergara had remained in Truxillo, to gather in some men who had stayed behind, but in a short time he overtook the Governor, who was travelling by stages. As they ascended to the high elevations⁸ in the mountains, that common ailment⁹ of the head which overtakes everybody attacked him and most of the others, and used them so ill that they felt like being on the sea. At the end of some days the Governor arrived at a village called Tozal, where he was told by a Spaniard he found there that in the camp of the captain Alonso de Alvarado, some words had passed between the latter and a youth named Gómez de Alvarado "the lad."[100] When he heard of the approach of Vaca de Castro, this young man had quitted the camp without his captain's permission, and was coming to join the Governor.[197] Vaca de Castro was

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