how the cacique of pacaha came peaceablie to the gouernour, and the cacique of casqui absented himselfe, and came againe to make his excuse, and how the gouernour made them both friends.
vpon wednesday, the 19. of iune, the gouernour entred into pacaha: he lodged in the towne, where the cacique vsed to reside, which was very great, walled, and beset with towers, and many loopeholes were in the towers and wall. and in the towne was great store of old maiz, and great quantitie of new in the fields. within a league and halfe a league were great townes all walled. where the gouernour was lodged, was a great lake, that came neere vnto the wall: and it entred into a ditch that went round about the towne, wanting but a little to enuiron it round. from the lake to the great riuer was made a weare by the which the fish came into it; which the cacique kept for his recreation and sport: with nets, that were founde in the towne, they tooke as much as they would: and tooke they neuer so much, there was no want perceiued. there was also great store of fish in many other lakes that were thereabout, but it was soft, and not so good as that which came from the riuer, and the most of it was different from the fresh water fish of spaine. there was a fish which they call bagres: the third part of it was head, and it had on both sides the gilles, and along the sides great pricks like very sharpe aules: those of this kind that were in the lakes were as big as pikes: and in the riuer, there were some of an hundred, and of an hundred and fiftie pounds weight, and many of them were taken with the hooke. there was another fish like barbilles; and another like breames, headed like a delicate fish, called in spaine besugo,127 betweene red and gray. this was there of most esteeme. there was another fish called a pele fish: it had a snout of a cubit long, and at the end of the vpper lip it was made like a peele. there was another fish like a westerne shad; and all of them had scales, except the bagres, and the pele fish. there was another fish, which sometimes the indians brought vs, of the bignes of a hog, they call it the pereo fish: it had rowes of teeth beneath and aboue. the cacique of casqui sent many times great presents of fish, mantles, and skinnes. hee told the gouernour that he would deliuer the cacique of pacaha into his hands. he went to casqui, and sent many canoes vp the riuer, and came himselfe by land with many of his people. the gouernour with 40. horsemen and 60. footemen tooke him along with him vp the riuer. and his indians which were in the canoes, discouered where the cacique of pacaha was in a little island, situated betweene two armes of the river. and fiue christians entred into a canoe, wherein don antonio osorio went before, to see what people the cacique had with him. there were in the isle fiue or six thousand soules. and assoone as they saw them, supposing that the indians which were in the other canoes were also christians, the cacique, and certaine which were in three canoes, which they had there with them, fled in great haste to the other side of the riuer: the rest with great feare and danger, lept into the riuer, where much people was drowned, especially women and little children. presently the gouernour which was on land, not knowing what happened to don antonio, and those that went with him, commanded the christians with all speed to enter with the indians of casqui in the canoes, which were quickly with don antonio in the little island, where they tooke many men and women, and much goods. great store of goods, which the indians had lain vpon hurdles of canes, and rafts of timber to carrie ouer to the other side, draue downe the river, wherewith the indians of casqui filled their canoes: and for feare lest the christians would take it from them, the cacique went home with them downe the riuer, without taking his leave of the gouernour: whereupon the gouernour was highly offended with him: and presently returned to pacaha, he ouerran the countrie of casqui the space of two leagues, where hee tooke twentie or thirtie of his men. and because his horses were wearie, and he wanted time that day to goe any farther, hee returned to pacaha, with determination within three or four daies after to inuade casqui. and presently hee let loose one of the indians of pacaha, and sent word by him to the cacique, that if hee would haue his friendship, he should repaire vnto him, and that both of them would make warre upon casqui. and presently came many indians that belonged to pacaha, and brought an indian, in stead of the cacique, which was discouered by the caciques brother which was taken prisoner. the gouernour wished the indians that their master himselfe should come: for hee knew very well that that was not hee, and told them, that they could doe nothing which he knew not before they thought it. the cacique of pacaha cometh to the gouernour. the next day the cacique came, accompanied with many indians, and with a present of much fish, skinnes and mantles. he made a speech that all were glad to heare, and concluded, saying, that though his lordship, without his giuing occasion of offence had done him hurt in his countrie and subiects; yet hee would not therefore refuse to bee his, and that he would alwaies be at his commandement. the gouernour commanded his brother to be loosed, and other principall indians that were taken prisoners. that day came an indian from the cacique of casqui, and said, that his lord would come the next day to excuse himselfe of the error which he had committed, in going away without licence of the gouernour. the gouernour willed the messenger to signifie vnto him that if he came not in his owne person, hee would seeke him himselfe, and giue him such punishment as he deserued. the next day with all speede came the cacique of casqui, and brought a present to the gouernour of many mantles, skinnes, and fish, and gaue him a daughter of his, saying, that he greatly desired to match his blood with the blood of so great a lord as he was, and therefore he brought him his daughter, and desired him to take her to his wife. hee made a long and discreet oration, giuing him great commendations, and concluded, saying, that hee should pardon his going away without licence, for that crosses sake, which he had left with him: protesting that hee went away for shame of that which his men had done without his consent. the gouernour answered him, that hee had chosen a good patrone; and that if hee had not come to excuse himselfe, hee had determined to seeke him, to burne his townes, to kill him and his people, and to destroy his countrie. to which he replied saying:
my lord, i and mine are yours, and my countrie likewise is yours: therefore if you had done so, you should haue destroyed your owne countrie, and haue killed your owne people: whatsoeuer shall come vnto me from your hand, i will receiue as from my lord, as well punishment as reward: and know you, that the fauour which you did me in leauing me the crosse, i do acknowledge the same to be a very great one, and greater then i haue euer deserued. for you shall vnderstand, that with great droughts, the fields of maiz of my countrie were withered; and assoone as i and my people kneeled before the crosse, and prayed for raine, presently our necessitie was relieued.
the gouernour made him and the cacique of pacaha friends; and set them with him at his table to dine with him: and the caciques fell at variance about the seats, which of them should sit on his right hand. the gouernour pacified them; telling them that among the christians, all was one to sit on the one side or on the other, willing them so to behaue themselues, seeing they were with him, that no bodie might heare them, and that euery one should sit in the place that first hee lighted on. from thence he sent thirtie horse men, and fiftie footemen to the prouince of calu?a, to see if from thence hee might trauel to chisca, where the indians said, there was a worke of gold and copper. they trauelled seuen daies iournie through a desert, and returned verie wearie, eating greene plummes and stalkes of maiz, which they found in a poore towne of sixe or seuen houses. from thence forward toward the north; the indians said, that countrie was very ill inhabited, because it was very cold: great store of oxen toward the north of pacaha. this is like quiuira. and that there were such store of oxen, that they could keep no corne for them: that the indians liued vpon their flesh. the gouernour seeing that toward that part the countrie was so poore of maiz, that in it they could not be sustained, demanded of the indians, which way it was most inhabited; and they said, they had notice of a great prouince, and a verie plentifull countrie, which was called quigaute, and that it was toward the south.
