On account of the hostile conduct of the Guanucos towards Gonzalo, and because the curacas or caciques of that province, in conjunction with those of the Conchucos had made frequent attacks on the city and province of Truxillo, in which they killed all the Spaniards they could meet with and pillaged the country, not even sparing their Indian neighbours, the marquis sent a detachment of troops under Gomez de Alvarado to make a conquest of Guanuco, with orders to establish a settlement in that country to keep the natives under subjection.  In their military expeditions, the Peruvians of Guanuco carried an idol along with them, named Cataquilla, to which they made offerings of all whom they massacred or made prisoners, and of the spoil which fell into their hands.  They persisted for a long time in their barbarous hostilities, till at length, Miguel de la Cerna raised a considerable force in Truxillo, with which he joined Francisco de Chaves.  With these forces conjoined, they fought successfully against the Indians of Guanuco and reduced them to subjection.

When Gonzalo Pizarro had completed the preparations for his expedition, he set out from Quito in the year 1540 at the head of 200 Spaniards well equipped, of whom the half was cavalry[3].  He was attended by 4000 friendly Indians[4], and by a flock of 4000 animals, consisting of swine and Peruvian sheep, to serve as provisions, and to carry the baggage and ammunition of the army.  After passing a place called Inca, the boundary of the conquests of Huana Capac towards the north and east, Gonzalo arrived in the country of the Quixos, where he was opposed by the natives, but they all disappeared one night, without the Spaniards being able to make a single prisoner.  On the retreat of the Indians, Gonzalo and his troops took possession of their deserted habitations in which they rested for some days.  While here, the country was visited by a dreadful earthquake, accompanied by prodigious thunder and lightning and an immense fall of rain.  The earth opened in many places and swallowed up above five hundred houses.  By the excessive rains, which continued forty or fifty days, a river in the neighbourhood of the Spanish quarters became so swollen that it was quite impassable, in consequence of which the troops suffered much from famine, as they were unable to get across the river in search of provisions.  On the cessation of the tempest, Gonzalo had to cross a prodigious ridge of mountains, on the top of which they suffered such extreme cold that many of their attendant Indians were frozen to death.  And as no provisions or shelter could be had in that elevated region, he made haste to arrive in the province of Zumaco[5] which is situated at the foot of a volcano.  As provisions were found here in abundance, the army halted in this place for refreshments.  In the mean time Gonzalo went with a small party of troops to endeavour to find out a passage through the forest.  He at length reached the banks of a river named Coca, whence he sent for the remainder of his people to join him from Zumaco.  During two months that the army remained in this country, it never ceased raining day or night, so that they never had a sufficient interval in which to dry their clothes.