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248 among the disfigured corpses. The wounded chief cried out and succeeded in attracting the boy's attention. He came at once, stanched the wounds, and helped Quilacu to reach the banks of a little stream. Here he collected brushwood, lighted a fire, and gave further aid to the wounded man. Quilacu began to question the lad as to his motive for helping an enemy. His answer was: 'Brother! I am a native of this country. My name is Titu: ask me no more.' Next day Titu led Quilacu to an abandoned hut, where for many weeks he was unconscious with a raging fever, tenderly nursed by the helpful lad.

The Peruvian fugitives rallied at the pass of Ancoyacu, which Mayta Yupanqui proposed to fortify and defend, but Huanca Auqui had lost heart, and they fell back on Vilcas-huaman. The Inca Huascar was now thoroughly alarmed. He consulted the huacas and oracles, and was told that if he put himself at the head of his army, leading it in person, he would be victorious. Reinforcements were hurried up from Colla-suyu, and even from Chile, and Huascar found himself at the head of a large army, on the plain of Suriti.

Huanca Auqui, who had fallen back from Vilcas-huaman, was stationed to defend the bridge of the Apurimac. The Chilians were encamped on the heights commanding the valley of Cotabambas, with the Collas and the Charcas contingent. The rest of the army was in the Cotabambas valley.