PIZARRO AND THE CONQUEST OF PERU.
Francisco Pizarro was a little Spanish boy who was very poor and very
miserable. Living in a beautiful valley where the climate was agreeable,
and where one might gather grapes and chestnuts and oranges at will, it
might have been quite possible for him to be poor and happy, too, but
there were many things about Francisco's lot that were harder to bear
than poverty. Many other children dwelt in this pleasant valley, some of
them as poor and wretched and ragged as Francisco, and others who were
rich and well clothed and happy. Not far from the little hut that was
Francisco's home was a stately castle, where a great duke lived, and the
little boy would often go and stand by the stone wall that enclosed the
grounds, and wonder how it would seem to live in that splendid mansion,
and be allowed to walk in its beautiful parks. Once in a while, when
the gates were opened to let in a crowd of gaily-dressed visitors, or
when the duke, at the head of a laughing party, went forth on a merry
hunting expedition, he would catch a glimpse of the velvet lawns and
shady trees and gorgeous flowers, and could see children dressed in
dainty garments, and sometimes wearing beautiful jewels, playing on the
grass or swinging under the trees. And Francisco would look and look
with eyes big with wonder till the gay party had passed and the gates
swung back in his face, and he was left out there in the dusty road
alone. And then he would turn and watch the hunting party until the
brilliant scene faded quite away in the distance, and he was once more
left alone. It always seemed to him that no matter how gay or happy this
bit of the world might seem, it always ended in his being left outside
of that gray stone wall, alone and hungry and ragged, and that in fact
these glimpses of another, happier life were only after all just like
his dreams, which were sure to fade away when morning came. He could not
help sighing sometimes and wishing that the dream would go on for him
just as it did for the other children inside the stone wall. Once it did
go on just a moment or two, for one day as he stood dejectedly by the
gates, they opened, and a beautiful child came out who spoke to him
kindly. He was dressed in a suit of velvet, and his long hair fell in
curls over his shoulders, and in his cap was a little pearl ornament
which fastened a bird's wing. And Francisco, as he looked at the wing,
thought he had never in his life seen anything so wonderful, for the
feathers were soft like velvet, but glowed and burned in the sunlight
like the rubies in the ring on the child's hand.
He raised his hand and touched the lovely object, and the wearer of the
cap, being as kind-hearted as he was beautiful, began to tell Francisco
the story of the wing--how it had been given to him by a great soldier,
who had brought it from a long way off, farther than he himself had ever
been; farther than the mountains or the sea even.
Francisco wondered at this, and when the child passed on he stood still
thinking a long time; it seemed so strange to hear that there were other
places and countries besides this quiet little valley where he had
always lived. Then he went back to his work, disagreeable work it was,
very, for he had to watch the swine and keep them from straying off; but
that night his dreams were brighter than ever, for he dreamed that he
had visited those strange lands that he had heard of from the child, and
that he had found enough treasures there to make him rich and great. The
morning came and the dream was gone, but it left behind a thought that
did not go away. And always after the boy Francisco carried with him the
resolve to make his dream come true. But for many years there seemed no
hope of anything beyond the mean life he was living, and sometimes he
quite despaired. He was very proud and ambitious, too, and his lowly lot
in life seemed all the more bitter when he compared it with that of the
more fortunate boys who had good comfortable homes and could go to
school. He thought that he should have a good home and go to school
too, for his father was a man of wealth and of good birth; but his
mother was only a peasant, and it was with her he had always lived, and
the poor woman could not afford to bring up her child in comfort, or
even to have him taught to read and write. And so Francisco grew to be a
big boy, and still watched the pigs from morning till night, and still
sighed restlessly to get away from his distasteful life, and find one
fairer and nobler.
One day, when he was quite a big lad, a stranger came to the little
valley; he was an old, weather-beaten sailor, and had sailed across
distant seas and journeyed through many strange lands, and at night,
when the peasant boys were through with their day's work, they all
gathered around him and listened to his tales of the great world that
lay beyond the mountains that shut in their quiet little valley, just as
the stone wall shut in the duke's palace.
Francisco listened with the others, but his heart beat wildly, for, as
the old man talked, it seemed that he was again in the land of his
dreams. And no wonder, for the sailor's stories were very wonderful and
quite true, for he was one of the men that sailed across the ocean with
Columbus on his first great voyage. He had seen with his own eyes that
far-off, beautiful land, where the air was always soft as the spring in
the valleys, and where the flowers bloomed forever, and the trees bore
delicious fruits; he had heard the reports of its mountains of gold and
mines of precious stones, and rivers whose waves tossed gleaming pearls
upon the beach. And it was all true, and all this wealth and beauty lay
there waiting for bold hearts and brave hands to claim and keep, for the
people of that far country were only poor savages, knowing nothing of
the value of the gold and gems they wore, and were so ignorant that they
thought the Spaniards were the children of some great god, and were
ready to fall down and worship their beauty and strength and courage.
And the old man talked till the stars came out, and the moon had climbed
far up the sky, for never before had there been told such wonderful news
as this, for all the stories of the fabulous wealth of the East had
come true at last, and no one could doubt any more. By and by, as the
days passed, the sailor told other stories of other countries, where the
soldiers of Spain were winning great victories, and although his words
were forgotten by most of the boys, yet Francisco and one or two others
thought of them often and pondered over them, and thought what a fine
thing it must be to be a soldier fighting for honor and glory. And as
time went on they talked more and more about this, and at last they
resolved to leave their old miserable life behind them forever, and go
out into the world and seek their fortune. But they had to be very
careful and secret, for they meant to run away; the summer was gone and
the autumn had come to the valley before the three boys found a chance
to carry out their plan, and one morning when Francisco and his friends
were called to go to their distasteful work, they did not answer, for
they were far on their way up the mountains, and had said farewell to
the valley forever. It was pleasant travelling through the hospitable
country roads, and after they had gone so far that they had no fear of
being overtaken, they went on merrily enough. Francisco's heart was the
lightest and bravest. He had most detested his old life, and now he most
rejoiced that it was past.
So the boys journeyed on and crossed the mountains and passed through
the fertile valleys and then climbed other mountains, and everywhere the
kind country folk gave them food and drink and shelter, and the young
travellers thought they had never had grapes and chestnuts and goat's
milk taste as good before, as they ate and drank under the trees by the
road-side or in some peasant's cottage; and by and by the journey was
over, and they were in Seville. And now the runaways found they were out
in the world indeed. No one in all that great, splendid city cared in
the least whether they lived or died, whether they suffered from hunger
or thirst, or whether they had a place to lay their heads at night. But
they kept brave hearts, got what they could to eat, slept where they
could at night, and spent the days in wandering through the streets and
getting acquainted with the life of a great city. And although they were
not sure where bread and cheese were to come from and where they were to
lie down at night, still the wonderful sights of this new life, the
magnificent houses, splendid palaces, costly dresses, and, above all,
the companies of mounted soldiers that were continually parading the
streets, all drove thoughts of home from their minds, and they did not
regret in the least that they had exchanged the village of Truxillo for
the glitter and show of Seville.
In a few days Francisco decided that he would join the army and go to
Italy, where the Spaniards were then fighting, and as the king wanted
all the soldiers he could get, and as he was large and well developed
for his age, he had no trouble in enlisting in one of the regiments, and
when he put on the gaudy uniform and began to live in camp, he felt,
indeed, that his old life was over and that Francisco Pizarro was quite
a different person from the ragged little urchin that tended pigs at
Truxillo.
But there was one sad thing about it, and that was the parting from his
two friends, for Pizarro's regiment sailed very soon for Italy, and it
was with great sorrow that he said farewell to the two companions who
had shared the excitement and danger of his escape from home. However,
the noise of war soon drove sad thoughts from his mind, and so eagerly
did he enter into his new life that he soon became one of the best
soldiers in the regiment, and so renowned for bravery that by the time
the war was over and the army ready to return to Spain he had been made
a lieutenant. This only made him more ambitious, and as he found life in
the city very stupid for the next few years, because there was no
fighting to be done, he was very glad when he heard one day that a great
expedition was to be sent out to America, and that any one who was brave
and daring might join it and so have a chance of gaining riches and
fame. He hastened to Cadiz at once, and as his courage and bravery were
well known, had no trouble in being made one of the company; and when,
in a few days, the ships left Cadiz and started on their long voyage
across the Atlantic, Pizarro thought with great joy that he was on his
way to those strange lands at last, and that perhaps his old dreams
might come true.
The voyage was a stormy one, but at last they came safely to Hispaniola,
and there Pizarro learned, what all newly-arrived Spaniards were not
slow to learn, that of all restless, roving lives, those of Spanish
adventurers were the most so. They were never content to remain in one
place, but went hither and thither in their mad search for gold, always
hoping to find something better, and always ready to risk their lives
for the sake of bettering their fortunes. And so, no sooner had Pizarro
become a little acquainted with the country at Hispaniola than he
straightway caught the mad fever for moving on to some new place; and as
there were constant reports of the wealth of the countries of Central
America and Mexico, he decided that those places would suit him better
than Hispaniola, and he accepted an offer to go to Darien, meaning to
explore the country and see for himself what riches it contained.
At that time Balboa was also living in Darien, and Pizarro was one of
the company who went with him across the isthmus to discover the
Pacific. In this expedition Pizarro noted the country well, and was
rejoiced to see the gold and gems which were bestowed upon him by the
friendly chiefs, and when he returned to Darien he was very willing to
become the leader of an expedition that the governor of the colony was
fitting out, to conquer lands on the Pacific. The party reached the
ocean in safety, and Pizarro immediately resolved to get all the
treasure he could before any other Spaniards should have a chance to
come there. On his former visit he had heard from the natives that there
were great quantities of pearls to be found on some islands lying out
from the land, and now he at once called part of his men together, and
leaving the rest on the shore, started out in canoes to reach the
islands. The sea was heavy, and the canoes were capsized more than once,
but they reached the islands at last, only to find that the natives were
thronging the beach ready to drive them off as quickly as they should
land. But Pizarro was not to be driven back, and after a hard fight, the
Indians retreated to the woods and left the Spaniards in peace. They
began their search for pearls at once, and found them in such quantities
that Pizarro named the spot the "Isle of Pearls," and after gathering a
great store of these precious gems, and securing also a great deal of
gold, he went back to Darien with his treasures and reported that the
country was as rich as Cathay or Mexico.
The governor of Darien, on hearing this news, thought it would be a very
good plan to move his capital from Darien across the isthmus so that he
would be nearer the riches of the land, and in a short time the greater
part of the colony were living in Panama, and eagerly watching for
opportunities of gathering gold and gems.
Here Pizarro lived like a great man. He had a fine house and a long
train of Indian servants, and flocks, and fields, and was looked upon as
a rich man and a brave soldier. But he was not quite satisfied. Often,
as he walked in his broad fields, he would look toward the north, where
lay the land of Montezuma, the land that Cortez had conquered, thus
winning for himself lasting honor and glory, besides great wealth,
greater than Pizarro could ever expect to gain in his quiet home in
Panama. And then he sometimes looked southward, too, and wondered what
lay there beyond the blue, misty horizon. It could not be possible, he
thought, that Cortez and Balboa had made all the great discoveries;
perhaps there were other lands away there in the south as rich and great
as Mexico. Perhaps it might be his good fortune some day to discover an
empire as boundless and wonderful as that of Montezuma. So he pondered,
day after day, over what the future might bring, and always listened
eagerly for tales of the lands to the southward, where lay the great
ocean that Balboa had discovered. And one day a visitor came to his
home, who told him just what he wanted to hear, that there _was_ a very
great and powerful empire far south of Panama, and that with a good band
of resolute soldiers, and a brave leader, it might be easily conquered.
And as Pizarro listened he resolved that he would be the leader if he
could only find men enough to follow him on his perilous undertaking.
Very wonderful things did the traveller tell of this new country, for a
very wonderful country it was, and as Pizarro heard the accounts of its
wealth and prosperity, it seemed to him that the old stories of Cathay
and the realms of Kublai Khan were actually true. And, indeed, this
country that lay to the south, protected on one side by the ocean, and
on the other by its giant, snow-capped mountains, was more like the old
dreams of Cathay than any land that had yet been seen by the Europeans.
The empire of Peru, like that of the Aztecs, had existed for hundreds
and hundreds of years, and its ruler, the mighty Inca, like the great
Montezuma, was a descendant of the Sun. He was therefore held in great
reverence by his subjects, as a child of their great god. For the sun
was the principal deity of the Peruvians. In his honor were built the
most splendid temples that the world has ever seen. In Cuzco, the
capital of Peru, was a temple of the sun that was so magnificent it was
called the "Place of Gold." The walls were covered with solid plates of
burnished gold, and on one side was the image of the sun, made of purest
gold, its face glittering with diamonds and emeralds and rubies, and the
long golden rays reaching from the ceiling to the floor.
In Cuzco, also, was the Temple of the Moon, adorned with silver, and
with an image representing the goddess of night; and all the service of
the temples was of the purest gold and silver, curiously wrought and
beaten, and the great altars were ornamented with great golden lilies
set with pearls and diamonds, and the lamps were brilliant with pendant
emeralds and rubies and sapphires.
The Peruvian empire extended from Cuzco to Quito, and everywhere
throughout the dominion were splendid cities, in which were great
palaces and temples, all glittering with gold and silver, and all
showing the wealth and power of the Inca. These cities were connected by
great public roads that led from one end of the empire to the other,
and it is said that in no country in the world were there such fine
highways as those in Peru. The roads were very wide and covered with a
substance that hardened and became very smooth and even, so the
messengers could run easily, and on either side were massive walls,
built of great blocks of stone, while inside the walls ran clear streams
of water, bordered with beautiful trees. The principal road ran from
Cuzco to Quito, straight on through mountains which had been cut away,
and over rocky precipices, across which suspension bridges were thrown,
and through valleys that had been filled up to the level with lime and
stones. A day's journey apart on the roads stood the king's palaces,
beautifully furnished and fitted up with everything that a traveller
might need, and so pleasant was travelling in this country that a long
journey seemed only a succession of pleasant trips through delightful
forests and amid grand mountain scenery. And all day long, up and down
these roads, passed the servants of the Inca, carrying messages and
burdens from one part of the empire to the other, and all over the
country the people were busy and happy, working for the emperor whom
they loved and revered. There were no poor people in Peru, for the Inca
owned all the land and mines and palaces, and he gave to each family
enough to support them comfortably, while they in return worked for him,
and for the weak and sick, who could not care for themselves. The men
worked in the gold and silver mines, and on the public roads, and built
the temples and palaces, and tilled the fields, and raised the sheep,
the wool from which was spun and woven by the women into beautiful
cloth, dyed with rare colors, and interwoven sometimes with threads of
gold and silver. And although some of the laws were very strict, yet for
the most part they were just and merciful; and so the whole empire
seemed liked one great family, of which the Inca was the loved and
trusted head.
On great festival days the great public squares in the cities were
thronged with the people who came in from the country to take part in
the celebration. And there were many festival days during the year, and
so the Peruvians had a great deal of pleasure, for on a holiday no one
ever thought of working. The reason of this was that most of the
festivals were of a religious nature, and it would have been considered
a sin not to observe them. The most splendid festival of all the year
was the Feast of the Sun. This was always held at Cuzco, and from every
part of the empire the people came flocking to the capital, and for days
and days before, the roads were filled with travellers on their way to
the great feast. The celebration began with the dawn, and as soon as it
became light the inhabitants began to pour into the great central
square, or to throng the balconies and housetops which overlooked it.
All the city was gorgeously decorated, flags and banners floated from
the columns and roofs of the temples and palaces, and rich cloths of
dazzling hues, embroidered in gold and silver and precious stones, hung
from the windows and balconies, while everywhere were great urns of gold
and silver and stone, filled with flowers, and rare shrubs and plants
brought from the surrounding country. On this day the Inca appeared in
his greatest glory and state. Clad in a robe of the softest and most
beautiful material, embroidered with leaves and flowers of gold, and
with a collar of emeralds around his neck, wearing on his head a
glittering diadem from which floated the gorgeous plumes of some rare
tropical bird, he appeared in the midst of his people seated on a throne
of solid gold, and surrounded by all his great nobles, whose magnificent
appearance added still more glory to his own. His litter was borne by
courtiers wearing coronets of gold and silver, and near him sat the
principal men of his kingdom, whose litters were carried by soldiers
dressed in rich and showy uniforms. Behind the Inca and his nobles came
the soldiers, wearing helmets of skin studded with jewels, and clothed
in white or blue tunics, the officers bearing the royal standards of the
country, which were embroidered with gold and silver, and close beside
the Inca walked a standard-bearer holding the imperial banner, upon
which was wrought a rainbow, the symbol of royalty; and as the great
procession advanced into the square amid waving of banners and nodding
plumes and to the sound of warlike music, the people all fell on their
knees and bowed their heads and paid homage to the Inca, the child of
the sun. And then all was silent, for they awaited the coming of the god
whose day they celebrated, but as soon as his first rays touched the
snowy heights of the lofty Cordilleras, a great shout of joy went up
from the multitude, who welcomed with hymns of praise the coming of the
mighty god. Then the Inca would rise from his throne, and raising high
in the air a golden, jewelled goblet, pour out a libation to the sun,
after which the procession wound slowly to the temple, where sacrifices
were offered of sheep and birds and flowers, and sometimes, when there
had been a great victory in battle, even young maidens and beautiful
children were offered up, and then after many other ceremonies the
people left the temples and passed the rest of the day in singing and
eating and drinking, and all kinds of merry-making. There were many
other festival days, but the Feast of the Sun was the greatest, and was
held in summer when the days were longest and the god remained for many
hours above the horizon.
And it was these happy and contented Peruvians that Pizarro had
determined to conquer, and it was their beautiful country that he meant
to take possession of. But much as he desired to do this, it would have
been impossible without the aid of two good friends, who helped him with
money and influence. One of these friends was a bold cavalier by the
name of Almagro; the other was a very rich priest named Luque; and it
was agreed between the three that Almagro should get the ships ready and
enlist the men, that Luque should furnish the money, and that Pizarro
should command the expedition and conquer Peru, and then divide the
riches of the conquered country equally between his two partners. By
this arrangement the hardest part of the work fell to Pizarro; but he
did not mind that at all, and, in fact, would have been dissatisfied had
it been otherwise, while, on the contrary, Almagro and Luque were
equally willing to remain in Panama; and so everybody was satisfied, and
the preparations began at once.
Only the bravest and strongest men were chosen, and when the little
company assembled, they only numbered one hundred and twelve; but this
did not discourage Pizarro, for he was determined to be discouraged at
nothing, and on the 17th of November, 1524, after an imposing service in
the cathedral, where Luque blessed the commander and his soldiers, and
bade them God-speed, the little fleet sailed from Panama and started
southwest on its voyage of conquest.
But many misfortunes happened to Pizarro before he saw the coast of
Peru. The way was new and strange, and he did not know how far off Peru
was, and he landed many times along the coast in hope of finding a path
that would lead to the great empire, but found instead only marshes and
deserts and tangled underbrush, where his men were bitten by poisonous
serpents, and where they suffered from hunger and thirst and disease;
and years passed, and all that he knew of the coveted land he heard
from some Indians dwelling along the coast, who wore heavy golden
ornaments, and said that a great and rich country lay back from the sea,
governed by a mighty ruler. But this news only made Pizarro more eager
than ever to carry out his plan. Almagro had come from Panama with men
and provisions, or long before the whole party would have died of hunger
and disease, and then Pizarro sent him back for more men, feeling sure,
from a visit that he had paid to an Indian village near the coast, that
he was near Peru; but the Governor of Panama refused to let Almagro
return, and instead sent an order for Pizarro and his party to come
back, as he would no longer allow them to risk money and life in an
undertaking that promised nothing but failure. It was three years since
Pizarro had first sailed from Panama. Many of his men had died, while
the rest had suffered cruelly from hunger and exposure, and when they
heard that the governor had ordered them to return home they were very
willing to do so, and were glad enough to give up the idea of
conquering Peru. But Pizarro himself would not give up. He was angry and
indignant that the governor should command him to give up his plan at
the very moment that success seemed certain, and he said that he would
stay in spite of the governor's orders. Then he drew a line in the sand
and stepped across it, and said that all the men who were willing to
stay with him and go on to Peru should step across the line, too. At
first no one moved; the danger seemed so great and the thought of home
so pleasant; but at last, Luiz, the pilot, who had always trusted in
Pizarro's luck, stepped across the line, and others followed until
thirteen were standing by Pizarro's side. They were few in number, but
their hearts were brave, and the bold leader knew that their courage was
equal to his own.
Then the rest of the company returned home to Panama, and Pizarro and
his little band were left alone on the Island of Gallo without even a
ship to take them on their journey. The island was not fit to stay upon,
as it offered neither food, nor shelter from the frequent storms that
burst over it, and Pizarro thought the better plan would be to leave it
at once. So he gave orders for the men to build a raft, and in a few
hours they had finished a large, strong one, upon which they placed
their arms and stores, and then stepping cheerfully upon it themselves,
pushed away from the island out into the sea. A few days' sailing in
this way brought them to another island, larger and pleasanter than the
Island of Gallo, and here Pizarro decided to land and wait for the
arrival of the ships which he knew Almagro would send to his aid. The
Indians were friendly, and the island was well watered with clear,
running streams. The men built huts of logs and bark beside one of these
pleasant streams, and for a time they were very comfortable. Wild
cocoa-nuts, pheasants, and rabbits were abundant, and furnished
strengthening food, and if the pleasant weather had continued they would
have been quite content with their situation; but, after a few weeks,
tempests began to blow over the island, beating down their huts and
drenching the men to the skin. And even when it did not rain they
suffered so much from the intense heat of the sun and from the swarms of
mosquitoes and other poisonous insects, that they were almost in
despair, when, after seven months of waiting, the ship that Almagro sent
appeared in sight. The vessel brought provisions, but no soldiers, for
those the governor refused to send, and so, without waiting for further
help, Pizarro started with the ship and eleven of his brave companions,
and with a fearless heart turned southward again.
In three weeks he reached the Gulf of Guayaquil which washes the shores
of a lovely and fertile country, and pointing across the waters, the
Indian interpreters that Pizarro had brought from the North, told him
that there lay a part of the great empire of Peru, which he had so long
been seeking. Here he found, the next morning, a large and prosperous
town, very different from any he had yet seen on the South American
coast. This town, the name of which was Tumbez, was within the Inca's
dominions, and was therefore as fine and wealthy as many of those
farther from the coast. Pizarro was surprised to see such magnificent
temples and palaces, such fine houses and well-kept roads, and, above
all, such intelligent and fine-looking people. They came flocking down
to the shore to see the curious ship that the strangers had come in, and
the Spaniards noticed that they wore garments of finely woven material,
and were adorned with rings, bracelets, and chains of gold, and wore
large and brilliant gems in their ears. Pizarro made friends with the
Indians by means of his interpreters, and sent a message to the governor
of the town, asking for provisions and for leave for one of his men to
visit the town.
Both of these wishes were granted; the governor sent immediately a large
store of bananas, pineapples, and other fruits, besides meats and fish,
with permission to Pizarro to send one of his men to visit the town. The
governor also sent one of the chief men to welcome the strangers, and
thus Pizarro saw for the first time one of the nobles of the empire he
had come to conquer. He saw at once that these people were very
different from the savages of the West Indies, or Atlantic coast, and
that this courteous stranger, with his noble bearing and rich dress,
belonged to a far higher race than the half-clothed Indians of Panama.
So he resolved to be as friendly as possible with these people, and not
let them imagine for a moment that he had come on a hostile errand. He
received the nobleman very politely and invited him to dinner, and on
his departure, gave him handsome presents. But the next morning, when
the Spaniard Molino went on shore, Pizarro told him to notice carefully
everything about the town, its size and wealth and means of defence, for
he was more determined than ever to be called the Conqueror of Peru.
Molino was accompanied by a negro servant who carried some presents for
the governor, and as the Indians had never seen a negro before, they
looked at him very curiously, and tried to rub the black off with their
fingers. And they also looked very curiously at the white man, for he
was as strange to them as the negro; and they thought that the people
from beyond the sea, with their white skin and fair hair, must belong
to a great and wonderful race. Molino was well received by the governor,
whom he found living in a fine mansion, guarded by soldiers in handsome
uniforms, and attended by servants in livery, who served his meals upon
golden dishes. Everywhere the Spaniard saw riches and prosperity, and
his account of the splendid temples and palaces made Pizarro's heart
beat high with hope. The next day he sent another Spaniard, Candia, to
visit the town, and his report was as satisfactory as that of Molino.
Pizarro was satisfied that he had reached the empire of Peru at last,
and taking a friendly farewell of the inhabitants of Tumbez, sailed
along down the coast to see still more of this marvellous country.
Everywhere he landed he was delighted to find the country as rich and
prosperous as at Tumbez, and at length turned his vessel homeward, well
supplied with provisions for the voyage, and with a large quantity of
gold and jewels, which he intended to show his friends in Panama in
proof that he had really discovered the land of his dreams. Stopping at
Tumbez again, he left Molino, and one or two more of his men there, and
taking two of the inhabitants with him, sailed away, carrying the good
wishes of the people with him, and with high hope of a speedy return.
But on his arrival at Panama he found the governor still unwilling to
let another fleet be fitted out for the conquest of Peru, and Almagro,
and Luque, and Pizarro, after talking it over, decided that the best
thing to do would be to get permission of the king himself, and then the
governor could not hinder them. So Pizarro sailed off to Spain, which he
reached safely after a quick voyage, and as his name was now well known
in Spain, the emperor sent for him to come to court, so that he might
hear his adventures.
Spain was at that time the greatest country in the world; the emperor,
Charles V., son of Ferdinand and Isabella, ruled over Spain, Germany,
and the Netherlands; a Spanish adventurer had discovered the Pacific
Ocean and added its shores and islands to the possessions of the mother
country; Cortez had conquered Mexico and made it a Spanish province,
and everywhere the Spanish name was renowned for wealth and power; and
Pizarro, when he arrived at the court of Charles V., knew well that he
would meet there some of the most famous soldiers and adventurers in the
world, and he felt very proud of the honor done him, and rejoiced to
think that in the future his own name would shine as brightly as those
of the famous men he was about to meet. The emperor received him kindly
and listened attentively while he told of his visit to Peru and
described its wealthy cities and intelligent inhabitants; and when he
added that the principal cities, which he had not seen, were even richer
and finer than those near the coast, the emperor readily gave his
consent to his returning there with ships and men and everything
necessary for the conquest of such a great empire. And then Pizarro
showed the king and his nobles the chests of gold, and caskets of
precious stones, and beautifully dyed and woven cloths, and the llamas
and Indians he had brought with him, and they all exclaimed in wonder at
the sight, and Cortez said that just such riches had he found in
Mexico, and doubted not that this new land was as wealthy as the country
of Montezuma. And so no time was lost in fitting out a fleet, and while
this was being done Pizarro took the time to go to Truxillo and see his
old home again. He found all the country people ready to welcome him and
do him honor, for he was known throughout Spain as a bold soldier and
adventurer, and he entered his old village with very different feelings
from those he had when he ran away, barefoot and ragged, some thirty
years before. The old castle was still there, and little peasant boys
still watched the pigs out in the fields; but with him all was
different.
His father and mother were dead, and his four younger brothers were very
desirous of going to America with him and seeking their fortunes in that
wonderful country; and as he consented to this they all went with him to
Seville, where the fleet was being fitted out, and when the ships
started across the Atlantic the bold commander knew that he had four
men, at least, that he could trust to the end, and who would never
desert him, no matter how hard his fortune might be.
Panama was reached without any mishap, and then all was bustle and
confusion until ships and men were ready for the start. Three vessels
were bought, and with about one hundred and eighty soldiers, some thirty
horses, and a good supply of arms and ammunition, the little fleet was
at last ready, and after a solemn religious service in the cathedral the
company embarked, and Pizarro found himself at last on his way to
conquer Peru.
It was in the winter of 1531, seven years since the time of his first
voyage to the South; then he was ignorant of the country and its
dangers, but now he knew the coast, years of experience had taught him
how to overcome its dangers, and above all, he had friends in the
inhabitants of Tumbez, who would welcome him gladly, and who were ready
to believe that he was as great and powerful as he wished them to think.
It did not trouble him at all that he meant to repay their kindness and
trust with treachery and murder.
In two weeks they came to a pleasant landing-place some distance north
of Tumbez, and after sending the ships back to Panama they began
marching southward. The way was often difficult, and they had to cross
rivers and pass through swamps and thickets, but Pizarro always led them
on, cheering his men and hoping for better things. On their way they
passed an Indian village, which they captured without resistance from
the natives, who fled in dismay from the sight and sound of the guns;
here they found a great many large emeralds, as well as much gold and
silver, and a good store of corn and other food, and after plundering
the village they went on with light hearts, cheered with the prospect of
still greater wealth and good fortune in the near future. The character
of the country now changed and they found themselves passing through
beautiful groves, and over roads bordered with trees bearing delicious
fruits; and so they went pleasantly along until they reached the gulf of
Quayaquil and saw once more the domes and towers of Tumbez. But now
Pizarro did not come as a friend, but as a foe, and his only thought
was to take possession of Tumbez and rob it of its wealth. There was a
tribe of Indians living on the island of Puna, just opposite Tumbez, who
were bitter enemies of the people of that city, and as soon as these
Indians saw the arrival of the Spaniards on the other side of the bay,
they sent a party over to ask Pizarro and his followers to come over to
the island and stay with them. Pizarro knew that these people were
unfriendly to those of Tumbez, and he thought it would be a good plan to
make friends of them, so they would help him when he attacked the city;
so he accepted the chief's offer, and in a little while the Indians had
built some large rafts upon which the whole party was taken over to the
island of Puna, whose chief stood on the shore to welcome them. Here
they were given pleasant quarters and entertained with choice fruits and
vegetables, and very glad indeed were they to have this chance of
resting after their long and weary march.
But one day one of the Indian interpreters that Pizarro had brought with
him came to him and said that the natives of the island were planning
to attack him. This at once raised Pizarro's anger, and as several men
that he sent around to spy upon the Indians came back and said that the
story was true, he immediately ordered his men to fall upon the natives,
and in a short time every village on the island was plundered by the
Spaniards, and great numbers of the inhabitants slain. And then Pizarro
decided to go at once to Tumbez; so he sent the rafts ahead loaded with
booty, and getting as many boats as he could, embarked for the mainland.
But during all these days of fighting the people of Tumbez had made up
their minds that the Spaniards had come back as foes instead of friends,
and as soon as the rafts came to shore they seized the plunder and
dragged the men to the woods and murdered them; then, in great alarm
lest they should suffer worse things at the hands of the Spaniards than
the natives of Puna had, they gathered together all the valuables they
could carry and fled to the woods, and when Pizarro came to Tumbez he
found its streets deserted, its treasures carried off, and many of its
handsome buildings utterly destroyed. And so he was able to take
possession of the city without losing a single man in battle, and when
after a few days his scouts came in bringing the runaway chief with
them, Pizarro decided to pardon the chief for killing the Spaniards who
had been on the rafts, and to let him collect his people again and live
peaceably in his city as before.
He did this because he intended to go at once to the capital of Peru,
and he thought in case any disaster happened to his army it would be
well to have the chief of Tumbez friendly to him. The chief was very
glad to gather his people together again, and promised eternal
friendship to Pizarro; and so one bright day the Spanish army marched
out of Tumbez and took its way toward Cuzco.
Before leaving the coast, Pizarro had been joined by Hernando de Soto,
the same bold cavalier who afterward spent so many weary years in trying
to find on the shores of the Mississippi an empire as rich as Mexico or
Peru, and as he had brought with him soldiers and horses, he promised
to be of great use to Pizarro. Their way now led through pleasant
valleys and thriving villages, and everywhere Pizarro found himself
warmly greeted by the natives; often in the larger towns the governors
entertained him with splendid banquets, and many times he lodged in the
very palaces that were prepared for the Inca's visits. Pizarro made
friends with all the Indians they met, as he thought it best to leave no
enemy between him and the coast, and so they marched comfortably day
after day, until they had nearly reached the lofty ranges of the
Cordilleras. While stopping at one of the largest towns that they had
yet seen, Pizarro heard that, some distance ahead, a large Peruvian army
was collected. Fearing that he might be attacked if he went further, he
sent De Soto on ahead to find out if the Inca meant to receive him as a
friend. After many days De Soto returned to the camp accompanied by a
Peruvian noble, a brother of the Inca, who came with a greeting from the
emperor and some presents of fruits, corn, emeralds, and vases of gold
and silver. The noble bearing of the messenger and his splendid costume
and heavy ornaments of gold made a deep impression upon the mind of
Pizarro, and he saw at once that in all his dealing with the Inca he
would have to treat him with the respect due to his great rank and
power; so he received the messenger very courteously, and expressed
great pleasure at seeing a brother of the great Inca. The messenger said
that the Inca had sent him to Pizarro to say that he welcomed the
Spaniards to his land and invited them to visit him at his camp. Pizarro
replied that he would surely visit the Inca, and after receiving a
present of a red cap and some glass beads, the nobleman went away. But
Pizarro felt sure that the Inca had only sent him to find out how large
the Spanish army was, and he listened a little nervously to De Soto's
account of the cities he had seen, all well fortified, and able to hold
out a long time against a besieging army. And then De Soto told of the
riches and greatness of Cuzco, the capital, and said that an Indian
noble had described to him its magnificent palaces and temples, whose
walls were covered with gold and silver and precious stones; and at this
Pizarro determined there was no time to be lost, and set out immediately
for Caxamalca, where the Inca held his camp.
Caxamalca was built near a beautiful river that flowed through the
valley below, and its great stone fortresses and lofty temples, its
palaces and towers, its beautiful gardens and wide, well-paved streets,
and its large public square with its fountains and flowers, all showed
Pizarro, on his arrival there, that he had come into a land whose people
knew well how to be comfortable in peace as well as to defend themselves
in war. He at once marched his soldiers into the great square, where he
pitched his tents as if resolved to stay. The Inca's army lay upon the
slopes of the mountains three miles from Caxamalca, and there was great
excitement and wonder among the troops, as Indians from the town came
into camp describing the appearance of the Spanish soldiers. The
Peruvians had indeed looked with surprise and awe upon these invaders,
whose white faces and long, brown hair, and glittering armor, were so
different from anything they had ever seen before. And the greatest
wonder of all was the fact that many of these strangers rode upon
curious animals that were eager to rush into battle, and that the riders
guided often with a word or motion, showing that the creatures
understood human speech. These were the horses that Pizarro had brought,
and they were well calculated to inspire the Peruvians with terror, for
as the cavalry charged fiercely in battle, the innocent natives thought
that the horse and man all formed one animal; and once, when a man fell
from his horse, the Indians ran screaming away, saying that the strange
animal had broken all to pieces. Even when they had grown more
accustomed to seeing them their fear did not lessen, for the
intelligence of the horse and his power to understand his master's
speech always seemed like something half-human to the Peruvians, who had
never seen horses before. The arms of the Spaniards seemed very terrible
too; the flash and smoke and noise of the guns seemed to them like
something supernatural, like the lightning or thunder, and frightened
them so that at the first sound they were ready to throw down their
weapons and fly.
Pizarro knew all this very well, and the next morning after his arrival
at Caxamalca, when he sent to the Inca's camp to ask if the Spaniards
were welcome to Peru, the men he chose were De Soto, and his brother
Hernando, and they both rode on powerful milk-white horses, and had with
them an escort of forty horsemen, all clad in glittering armor and with
brilliant trappings on their steeds. The party rode rapidly along, and
as they came to the river that separated them from the Inca's camp,
dashed boldly into the stream and came swiftly up to the line of
Peruvian warriors that stood waiting to receive them and conduct them to
the presence of the emperor. They found the monarch seated on a golden
throne, surrounded by richly attired nobles, and attended by the most
beautiful women in the court. All the courtiers and attendants stood
with bowed heads, for no one might raise his eyes in the presence of the
Inca.
The Spaniards stood for some moments in silence, and then Hernando
Pizarro told the Inca, through an interpreter, that he and his
countrymen were the subjects of a mighty monarch across the sea, who had
sent them to ask the Inca to be his friend. The Inca did not reply to
this speech in person, but one of his nobles came forward and said that
the emperor bade them welcome, and the next day would visit the Spanish
chief at Caxamalca. The Spaniards had to be content with this, as it
soon became evident that the Peruvians had no intention of saying any
more. De Soto now thought he would show the Inca some of the good
qualities of his horse, for he well knew that the splendid animal had
attracted his attention, so he wheeled his horse round and round and put
him through many difficult exercises, the horse responding intelligently
to all his commands, and finally brought him down close to the Inca's
throne. The Peruvians were much impressed by these exercises, as was
likewise the Inca, but no one showed it by word or manner; when De Soto
had finished, the party of Spaniards were invited to a banquet, where
they were served by beautiful women, who brought them fruits on golden
dishes and drink in golden goblets studded with emeralds.
And then they went back to Caxamalca to report the result of their
visit, and when the soldiers heard of the thousands and thousands of
Peruvians who lay camping out on the mountain slopes, ready to defend
the Inca and their country with their lives, and when they remembered
that all over the great empire were other thousands willing to take the
places of those who should fall, then, indeed, the conquest of Peru
began to look like a very serious matter, and many a Spanish soldier
wished himself back in Panama.
The next day the camp was astir at an early hour with preparations for
the Inca's visit, for Pizarro had formed a very bold plan in the night,
and all his soldiers knew it, and had pledged themselves to help him
carry it out. He knew that there would be very little use in fighting
pitched battles with the Peruvians, as there were thousands of them to
every soldier he had, so he decided to overcome the enemy by the same
trick that Cortez had used in conquering Mexico.
The Peruvians, like the Mexicans, held the person of their emperor
sacred, and Pizarro knew that if he could get possession of the Inca,
the Indians would be afraid of attacking him for fear of injuring their
monarch. He would be safe as long as he held the Inca captive, for the
Peruvians would understand that any harm done to him would be visited
upon the Inca.
There was another reason, too, why this seemed a good plan. The Inca had
a brother who was left part of the kingdom by his father's will, but
Atahualpa, the present Inca, had dethroned his brother, Huascar, and now
unlawfully held his dominions, and Pizarro knew that the imprisonment of
Atahualpa would be the means of making Huascar his friend, and as
Huascar was really the lawful king of a large part of Peru, and had many
faithful and loving subjects among its people, it would be a good thing
for the Spaniards to be able to count him among their friends.
It was on Saturday, November 16, 1532, that this bold deed was to be
done. Pizarro concealed his soldiers in different places and kept only
his officers around him, in order to deceive Atahualpa the better, and
when all was ready, and the watchword, "Santiago," was agreed upon as a
signal, he waited impatiently for the appearance of the Inca. It almost
seemed as if something warned the emperor to keep away from Caxamalca,
for he kept putting off his visit from hour to hour, and even at one
time sent word that he would not come till the next day; but Pizarro
replied that he would not take his supper until his visitor came, and
whether from fear of offending the Spaniards, or because he thought
there was no use in putting off the visit, Atahualpa finally gave the
order for the camp to move, and was soon on his way to the town.
He sat upon his golden throne, with his jewelled diadem upon his head,
and with the royal standard, the rainbow-hued banner, carried before
him. His litter was borne by the great nobles, all richly dressed, and
before the throne, and for a long distance behind, marched company
after company of Peruvian soldiers. As they entered the great square of
Caxamalca a Spanish monk came forward and saluted the emperor with great
respect.
Atahualpa looked upon the fair faces and glittering armor of the Spanish
soldiers, and then upon the white robes of the priest and the gilded
cross he held in his hand, and turning to his attendants, said
impressively: "These strangers are the messengers of the gods; be
careful of offending them."
The priest now made a long speech, in which he told the Inca that the
Pope, as head of the Christian church, had given the empire of Peru to
the king of Spain, and that it was the will of God that the Peruvians
should all become Christians and cease to worship the Sun.
The Inca listened to this speech very patiently and asked the
interpreter where the priest had learned all that strange news. The
priest answered that he had learned it all from the Bible he held in his
hand. Atahualpa then took the Bible, and, after looking at it curiously,
held it up to his ear as if expecting to learn its secrets in that
manner; but as he heard nothing, he threw it angrily from him and
exclaimed haughtily, "I am very willing to be a friend of the king of
Spain, but not his vassal; the Pope must be a very extraordinary man to
give away a country that does not belong to him. I shall not change my
religion, and if the Christians adore a God who died upon a cross, I
worship the Sun, who never dies."
At these defiant words the priest turned angrily to Pizarro and made a
sign. And then shouting "Santiago," the terrible war-cry of the
Spaniards that had so often urged them on to victory, Pizarro seized the
Inca and called upon his soldiers to come forth from their
hiding-places. In a moment the place was alive with the excited
Spaniards, guns were fired, and the terrified Peruvians, startled at
this unexpected attack, were trampled under the horses' hoofs and
blinded by the smoke, and although the Inca's guard tried in vain to
protect him, they were all killed or wounded, and of the remaining
Peruvians--men, women, and children--very few who had entered the
square left it alive, but nearly all were murdered by the relentless
Spaniards. Then the gates were closed and guarded, and the Inca was
taken to Pizarro's tent, where his robe and jewels were taken from him,
and after being clothed in a plainer dress he was invited to take supper
with Pizarro.
Then the conqueror told his prisoner his true reason for coming to Peru,
and Atahualpa heard it all with bowed head and sad face, and remembered,
as he listened, the old legend of his race--how from across the seas
fair-haired men were to come, bringing sorrow and destruction to the
children of the Sun. The old prophecy had come true, and the last Inca
of Peru was a prisoner in the hands of a strange man, with white skin
and long brown hair. Pizarro slept well after his easy victory, happy in
the thought that that day's work had made his name immortal, for never
before in the history of the world had there been such a brilliant
conquest as this. Even the name of Cortez would now stand second to his
own.
The next morning Pizarro saw that the remainder of the Inca's army were
making hasty preparations for departure, and in a short time scarcely a
sign remained of the vast host that had been scattered over the slopes
of the mountains. As Pizarro's object was simply to get all the
treasures he could, he did not take any prisoners, but let the
disheartened Peruvians go whither they would, and devoted himself to
obtaining all the gold and jewels that could be found in Caxamalca or on
the bodies of the slaughtered Indians. The Inca at once noticed the
Spaniards' love of gold, and told Pizarro if he would give him his
freedom he would give him a large room full of silver, and gold enough
to fill half a room. Pizarro's eyes glistened at this proposal, which he
at once accepted, and the Inca hastily sent some of his servants to
Cuzco to order the people to bring the gold and silver from the temples
and palaces. Day after day messengers arrived bringing the precious
metals--vases, basins, goblets, table-service and temple-service, all of
purest gold, besides golden fountains, birds, fruits, and vegetables,
all carved out of the metal in the curious way known to the Indians.
Two thousand men were employed in bringing this treasure, and every day
Atahualpa's heart grew lighter, for he thought each night brought him
nearer freedom.
But one day messengers came to the city from the Inca's brother Huascar,
saying that if Pizarro would set him free from the prison where
Atahualpa had confined him, he would give the conqueror twice as much
gold as the Inca had promised him. Somehow this news reached Atahualpa,
and in great fear lest Pizarro should accept his brother's offer, he
sent Indians to kill him as he was on his way to Caxamalca. This roused
Pizarro's anger, for he had meant to get the gold from both brothers,
and then decide to give the kingdom to the one who would be likely to
trouble him the least. So when the news of Huascar's death came to him,
and he knew he would not get the gold that he had been promised, he
determined that the Inca should suffer for his loss. At the same time he
heard that the Peruvians were gathering an army under one of their most
skilful generals, and intended attacking the Spaniards and rescuing the
Inca. No time was to be lost. Pizarro called a council of his chief men,
and it was decided that the Inca must be put to death and the army march
at once to Cuzco. Atahualpa could not believe the terrible news when it
was brought to him; in vain he pointed to the glittering piles of gold
that his faithful subjects had brought for his ransom; in vain he
reminded Pizarro of his promise. The conqueror of Peru thought nothing
of his honor, but only of the gold that he might find in the Inca's
stately palaces, and Atahualpa learned to his cost what it meant to
trust in a Spanish soldier's plighted word; for, although all the
officers declared that the Inca must die, it was Pizarro himself who
acted as one of the judges at the trial, and it was his voice that
condemned him to death.
He was sentenced to be burned to death, and at night after the trial was
over he was led out to the centre of the square and bound to the stake.
The Spanish soldiers stood round with torches in hands, watching
intently the face of the doomed monarch, whose bearing was as proud and
dignified as it had been when he first came to the Spanish camp
surrounded by thousands of his faithful subjects.
After the fagots had been piled up around him, the same priest who had
first urged him to become a Christian, came to him and said that if he
would be baptized he might be strangled instead of burned. As this would
be a much easier death, Atahualpa consented, and the priest baptized
him.
And then they killed him as he stood there alone, with his hands
clasped, and his eyes lifted toward the heavens from which the great god
had vanished many hours before, and so perished Atahualpa, the last of
the children of the Sun, and the empire of the Incas was at an end.
Pizarro now determined to march at once to Cuzco, and in order to
appease the Peruvians, who were horrified and angry at the murder of
Atahualpa, a younger brother of the emperor was crowned Inca, although
Pizarro meant to keep the real power in his own hands. But it would be
safer for the Spaniards to march through the country if they had the
person of an Inca in their power, and the young Toparca had a mild and
gentle nature, and Pizarro could easily rule him.
De Soto was sent ahead to spy out danger, and although his party, as
well as his main army, was attacked once or twice by Peruvians, the
Spaniards had only to charge upon them with their fiery horses, when the
Indians would break ranks at once and fly in terror to the woods, and so
with but little adventure Cuzco was reached at last, and Pizarro found
himself in the capital of the great empire he had conquered.
Toparca having died on the way to Cuzco, another brother, Manco, was
crowned Inca, with great ceremony, in the midst of thousands of
assembled Peruvians, and a treaty of peace was entered into between
Manco and Pizarro, and eternal friendship was sworn between them; but
although this satisfied the Peruvians, Manco was really kept under guard
and was closely watched all the time. And now began the plunder of
Cuzco, and its beautiful temples and royal palaces were soon despoiled
of all their treasures; it was found when the gold and jewels had been
divided that each soldier in the Spanish army was a rich man, and that
the king's portion was immense.
But Cuzco was too far from the sea-coast to be a suitable capital for
the new kingdom that Pizarro meant to found, and after its stores of
gold and silver had been divided among the soldiers, the conqueror
proposed to move the capital from Cuzco to some place nearer the coast,
and as there was no large town near the sea that suited him, he gave
orders that a new city should be built, with palaces, temples, and
churches, and all things as fine and beautiful as could be found
anywhere else in Peru. The workmen were soon at work, and thousands of
Peruvians were daily employed in building the bridges and walls and
towers that were to grace this new capital, whose foundations were laid
in January, 1535, and which Pizarro named "The City of the Kings," and
which is now known as Lima.
But it was only a few years that Pizarro lived to enjoy all his glory
and prosperity, for he had many bitter enemies among the Spaniards. His
old friend Almagro had been very dissatisfied at his share of the
treasures that had been found in Peru, and had even tried to take Cuzco
away from Pizarro, and become ruler of Peru himself. There is no doubt
that Pizarro was unfaithful to his promise to divide the spoils equally
with Almagro and Luque; but Luque was dead, and Almagro was obliged to
take whatever Pizarro would give him, and when he attempted to obtain
more by force, he was taken prisoner by Hernando Pizarro and put to
death. But he left a son, Diego, who resolved to revenge his father's
murder. He had many friends in the city, for his father had been very
popular among the forces that he led against Pizarro, and a plan was
laid to attack Pizarro as he was returning from church on Sunday and
kill him. But on the Sunday appointed, Pizarro did not go to church; he
had heard of the plot and remained at home. Diego and his friends were
not to be baffled, however; they went at once to Pizarro's palace, and
forcing their way to his private room, attacked him before his friends
could come to his rescue. Pizarro fought bravely for his life, but the
odds were against him, and in a few moments he fell dead at the feet of
the man whose father had been his old friend, and whose help and trust
had been the chief means of his conquering the empire of Peru.