CHAPTER XLVIII

_How the Captain Garcilasso de la Vega and Graviel de Rojas, with others, fled on finding that the proceedings of Pizarro were not straight._

Gonzalo Pizarro had left the city of Cuzco with all his troops, and pitched his camp in the valley of Xaquixaguana. But several remained behind, including Graviel de Rojas and Garcilasso de la Vega, who had agreed to follow Gonzalo Pizarro but preferred to wait. After various conversations one with another, seeing how badly the movement was guided, and that Pizarro was not taking a straight course, they agreed to escape to Arequipa. They were Graviel de Rojas, the Captain Garcilasso de la Vega, Gomez de Rojas, Jeronimo Castilla, Soria, Manjarres, Pantoja Alonso Perez Esquivel with others, amounting to fourteen citizens and soldiers. They took the road to Arequipa whence they could easily go on to join and serve the Viceroy. They promptly and most loyally abandoned their homes for the King’s service. Leaving Cuzco they travelled until they reached the city of Arequipa, when they were joined by Luis de Leon y Ramirez. They went on to the seaport, fourteen leagues from Arequipa, in a valley of Indians called Quilca. Here they induced the Indians to provide some _balsas_ to take them to Lima. They did not dare to travel by land from fear of Pizarro, and because the only routes were either by the coast deserts or the mountains, and the latter was the route which Gonzalo Pizarro was taking. Both roads were made by the ancient Kings of these provinces. To go by the mountains away from the road would have been to traverse an exceedingly frozen region, covered with snow which could, in no way, be avoided.

Three times they embarked in the _balsas_, but each time they were obliged to land again owing to the tempestuous weather. Finally they mounted their horses and travelled over the coast deserts, sending notice of their coming to the Viceroy.

Diego Centeno and Gaspar Rodriguez went to Xaquixaguana and informed Pizarro of the flight of Graviel de Rojas, Garcilasso and the others. He was much incensed, swearing that if he caught them he would put them to death. The news also caused much excitement in the camp, and it is even said that many who were there would rather have gone with Graviel de Rojas and Garcilasso de la Vega than remain with Pizarro.