Antonio de Castro, Prior de Santo Domingo en Arequipa, que si
Picarro no quisiesse concierto ninguno, el se pasaria al servicio
del Emperador a tiempo que le deshiciese." Ibid ubi supra.]
The example of Cepeda was contagious. Garcilasso de la Vega,
father of the historian, a cavalier of old family, and probably
of higher consideration than any other in Pizarro's party, put
spurs to his horse, at the same time with the licentiate, and
rode over the enemy. Ten or a dozen of the arquebusiers followed
in the same direction, and succeeded in placing themselves under
the protection of the advanced guard of the royalists.
Pizarro stood aghast at this desertion, in so critical a
juncture, of those in whom he had most trusted. He was, for a
moment, bewildered. The very ground on which he stood seemed to
be crumbling beneath him. With this state of feeling among his
soldiers, he saw that every minute of delay was fatal. He dared
not wait for the assault, as he had intended, in his strong
position, but instantly gave the word to advance. Gasca's
general, Hinojosa, seeing the enemy in motion, gave similar
orders to his own troops. Instantly the skirmishers and
arquebusiers on the flanks moved rapidly forward, the artillery
prepared to open their fire, and "the whole army," says the
president in his own account of the affair, "advanced with steady
step and perfect determination." *30
[Footnote 30: "Visto por Gonzalo Pizarro Caravajal su Maestre de
Campo que se les iva gente procuraron de caminar en su orden
hacia el campo de S.
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