water. They carried the licentiate Vaca de Castro along with them, and
resolved to wait at Guavra to see what consequences might follow from
the imprisonment of the viceroy. When this came to the knowledge of the
judges, who believed the ships might not go to any considerable distance
from Guavra, on account of the attachment of their commanders to the
viceroy whose life was in danger, they determined to send a force both
by sea and land to attempt acquiring possession of the ships almost at
any risk. For this purpose, they gave orders to Diego Garcias de Alfaro,
an inhabitant of Lima who was versant in maritime affairs, to repair and
fit out the two barks which had drifted on shore. When that was done,
Alfaro embarked in them with thirty musqueteers, and set sail towards
Guavra. At the same time, Don Juan de Mendoza and Ventura Beltran,[4]
were sent off by land with a party of soldiers in the same direction. On
coming to Guavra in the night, Garcias de Alfaro concealed his two barks
behind a light house[5], in the harbour very near the ships, where he
could not be seen. At the same time, the party which went by land began
to fire off their muskets, and the people in the ships believed they
were some friends of the viceroy who wished to embark. Vela Nunnez was
sent accordingly in a boat to the shore, to learn what was meant by the
firing, on which Diego Garcias pushed on his barks between Vela Nunnez
and the ships, firing upon him and obliged him to surrender.
Intelligence of this event was immediately sent to Cueto, with a message
assuring him that both the viceroy and his brother would be immediately
put to death unless he surrendered his ships to the judges. Cueto[6]
accordingly submitted, being afraid lest the threat might be executed;
but had certainly not been allowed to do so if Zurbano had been present,
who had sailed from Guavra with his ships, two days before the arrival
of Diego Garcias, with the intention of going all along the coast
between Lima and Tierra Firma to take possession of every ship he might
fall in with, to prevent them from being employed by the oydors.