As soon as the artillery had been cast, orders were given to collect more than 300 silversmiths to repair and make arquebuses and other arms, under the superintendence of Juan Pérez, a very ingenious man who had had charge of the cross-bowmen in the battle of Las Salinas, as we before related. He understood the business so well that the arquebuses he turned out were as good and trusty as if they had been made in Vienna. They made many military saddles of steel, with silver on the pummels and cantles, and finished them with many ornaments and coverings of coloured silk. They also made very gaily painted lances, with their guards and very fine points of adamant, many corselets of silver and gold, and smart well-made helmets of the same, and all other necessary arms for thirty-five[104] men-at-arms ready to join battle.
[103] In the absence of Sotelo at Cuzco. Carrillo was one of the murderers of the Marquis. He was hanged at Guamanga after the battle of Chupas.
_Of what further happened in the city of Cuzco, of the speech Don Diego made to his companions; and of what García de Alvarado did._
In relating the things that passed in the city of Cuzco between Don Diego de Almagro and his people, and their great activity in equipping themselves with arms, it must be understood that the good captain Cristóbal de Sotelo was quite indefatigable. Out of his own estate he had given 100,000 _pesos_ among the soldiers, his companions; and he had sent spies, by order of Don Diego, to find out whether Vaca de Castro was advancing. The Inca Paulo also ordered runners to find out at Jauja what was happening at Guaraz; and when Vaca de Castro had joined Alonso de Alvarado and Pero Alvarez Holguin the news of their union spread over all the provinces of the Realm in such a way that it soon reached Cuzco, and the Indians said that Vaca de Castro had brought many Spaniards and foot-soldiers. This news did not fail to cause some stir--not that it caused dismay to young Don Diego and his accomplices. They entered into consultation, he and his captains and principal supporters in the city, to decide what had best be done. They agreed to leave Cuzco as soon as possible, and to induce Vaca de Castro not to give battle nor cause an encounter, because they were waiting to see the royal command of Caesar, and his commission, in order not to go beyond his orders in any way. They knew not the hour when García de Alvarado would come; but ordering all the Spaniards of his party who were in Cuzco, horse and foot, to assemble in a place where they could hear him, Don Diego thus addressed them: