The road from Guamanga to Yca across the maritime cordillera, leaves the city along a pretty avenue, and then up the hill of Carmenca and the steeper ascent of Quica-pata.[130] Half way up this ascent a path turns off to the left, skirting along the spurs of the cordillera, and after two miles the ravine of _Lambras-huayccu_[131] is reached. Here, on the spur, Vaca de Castro formed his first camp. The stream below supplies Guamanga with water. In the upper part of the ravine there is a swamp during part of the year. Its width is about half a mile, more in some parts, wide enough for cavalry charges. On its further side the ascent is steep, and on this spur the artillery of Almagro was posted, near what is now the farm house of Chupas. All this country is now covered with wheat fields. Guamanga would be easily reached by following the Lambras-huayccu stream. Lying 9,500 feet above the sea, Chupas is exposed to storms of snow in the winter and early spring. Beyond Chupas, on another spur, is the farm of my old friend Don Manuel Tello, called _Cochabamba_. The view towards the cordillera is very grand. The sides of some of the gorges form perpendicular precipices, above which rise the snowy peaks. Beyond Cochabamba is the wheat farm of another of my old friends called _cojo_ Arias;[132] and further on is the village of _Chiara_, whence the road leads by _Sachapampa_ and _Pomacocha_, to Vilcas. This was the route taken by Almagro's army from Vilcas, after crossing the lofty ridge of Cangallo. Guamanga is now usually written Huamanga.
_Cojo_ Arias told me that bones and a spur had been found on his estate; also that Alonso de Alvarado brought some Indians of Chachapoyas with him and that, for services in the battle, they were granted land with freedom from tribute, and that they founded the village of Chiara. The wheat farm of Chupas belonged to Don Basilio Guillen.
My visit to the battle field of Chupas was on 26 February 1853.]
[127] Ravine of Lambra Luopica, _not_ Chupas.
[129] _Y vuestro buen seso_ [_sic_] in the manuscript.
[130] _Quica_ is grey in Quichua, _pata_ an ascent.
[131] _Lambras_ is the local name for a tree like an elder. _Huayccu_ means a ravine.
[132] Lame (_cojo_) Arias. I did not know his Christian name.