He was aware, that, if this
spirit became contagious, it would be the ruin of the enterprise;
and he thought it best to exterminate the gangrene at once, and
at whatever cost, than to wait until it had infected the whole
system. He came to an extraordinary resolution.
[Footnote 9: There is less discrepancy in the estimate of the
Spanish force here than usual. The paucity of numbers gave less
room for it. No account carries them as high as two hundred. I
have adopted that of the Secretary Xerez, (Conq. del Peru, ap.
Barcia, tom. III. p. 187,) who has been followed by Oviedo,
(Hist. de las Indias, Ms., Parte 3, lib. 1, cap 3,) and by the
judicious Herrera, Hist. General, dec. 5, lib. 1, cap 2.]
Calling his men together, he told them that "a crisis had now
arrived in their affairs, which it demanded all their courage to
meet. No man should think of going forward in the expedition,
who could not do so with his whole heart, or who had the least
misgiving as to its success. If any repented of his share in it,
it was not too late to turn back. San Miguel was but poorly
garrisoned, and he should be glad to see it in greater strength.
Those who chose might return to this place, and they should be
entitled to the same proportion of lands and Indian vassals as
the present residents. With the rest, were they few or many, who
chose to take their chance with him, he should pursue the
adventure to the end." *10
[Footnote 10: "Que todos los que quiriesen bolverse a la ciudad
de San Miguel y avecindarse alli demas de los vecinos que alli
quedaban el los depositaria repartimientos de Indios con que se
sortubiesen como lo habia hecho con los otros vecinos; e que con
los Espanoles quedasen, pocos o muchos, iria a conquistar e
pacificar la tierra en demanda y persecucion del camino que
llevaba.
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