For Pizarro a very little hope was enough, but knowing that he could
probably influence such of his followers as he cared to retain more by
example than by word, he merely announced his own purpose in the
briefest way possible. Drawing his sword, he traced a line upon the sand
from east to west.
'Friends and comrades,' said he, turning to the south, 'on this side are
toil, hunger, the drenching storm, desertion, and death; on that side
ease and pleasure. There lies Peru with its riches, here Panama and its
poverty. Choose each man what best becomes a brave Castilian. For my
part I go to the south.'
So saying he stepped across the line, followed by Ruiz, Pedro de Candia,
and eleven others, and Tafur, after vainly trying to persuade them to
return, reluctantly departed, leaving them part of his store of
provisions. Ruiz sailed with him to help Almagro and De Luque in their
preparations. Not long after Pizarro and his men constructed a raft, and
transported themselves to an island which lay further north. It was
uninhabited, and being partly covered with wood afforded more shelter.
There was also plenty of good water, and pheasants and a species of hare
were fairly numerous. The rain fell incessantly, and the Spaniards built
rude huts to keep themselves dry, but from the swarms of venomous
insects they could find no protection. Pizarro did all he could to keep
up the spirits of his men in this dreary place. Morning prayers were
duly said, the evening hymn chanted, the Church festivals carefully
observed, and, above all, a keen look-out was kept across the ocean for
the expected sail; but seven months had passed before one small vessel
appeared. The Governor had at last allowed De Luque and Almagro to fit
out this ship; but she carried no more men than were needed to work her,
and Pizarro was commanded to report himself in Panama within six months,
whatever might be happening.
[Illustration: Pizarro sees llamas for the first time]
Taking with him his faithful followers and the natives of Tumbez,
Pizarro speedily embarked, and under the guidance of Ruiz sailed to the
south for twenty days, and reached at length the Gulf of Guayaquil.
Here the voyagers were abreast of some of the grandest heights of the
Cordilleras. Far above them in the still air rose the snowy crests of
Cotopaxi and Chimborazo, while only a narrow strip of green and fertile
land lay between the mountains and the sea. Tumbez proved to be a large
town, and the inhabitants received the Spaniards well, supplying them
plentifully with fruit and vegetables, game and fish, and sending on
board their ship a number of llamas, which Pizarro then saw for the
first time. The 'little camel,' as the Spaniards called it, was an
object of much interest to them, and they greatly admired its mixture of
wool and hair, from which the beautiful native fabrics were woven. The
Indians were much astonished to find two of their own countrymen on
board the strange vessel, but through their favourable report of the
harmless intentions of the Spaniards, and by their help as interpreters,
Pizarro was able to collect much valuable information. At that time
there happened to be an Inca noble in Tumbez, distinguished by his rich
dress, the huge gold ornaments in his ears, and the deference paid him
by the citizens. Pizarro received him on board his ship, showing him
everything, and answering his numerous questions as well as he could. He
also took the opportunity of asserting the lawful supremacy of the King
of Spain over the empire of Peru, and of expounding some of the
doctrines of his own religion, to all of which the chief listened in
silence. Several parties of the Spaniards landed at different times, and
came back with wondrous tales of all they had seen: the temples blazing
with silver and gold, and the convent of the Virgins of the Sun, the
gardens of which glowed with imitations of fruits and flowers in the
same metals. The natives greatly admired one of the Spaniards, a man
named Alonso de Molina, who was of fair complexion and wore a long
beard. They even invited him to settle among them, promising him a
beautiful wife; and on his homeward voyage Pizarro actually left him
there, with one or two others, thinking that at some future time it
might be useful to him that some of his own men should understand the
Indian language. In return he took on board his ship several of the
Peruvians, and one of them, named by the Spaniards Felipillo, played an
important part in after-events.
Having now learnt all he could, Pizarro pursued his voyage, touching at
all the principal points as he coasted along, and being everywhere
received by the people with kindness and much curiosity, for the news of
the coming of the white men spread rapidly, and all were eager to see
the 'Children of the Sun,' as they began to be called from their fair
complexions, their shining armour, and their firearms, which were looked
upon as thunderbolts.
Having gone as far south as the port of Santa, and having heard enough
to make the existence and position of the empire of Peru an absolute
certainty, Pizarro turned and sailed to the northward, landing once or
twice by the way, and being hospitably entertained by an Indian
princess, and after an absence of more than eighteen months anchored
again off Panama. Great was the joy caused by their arrival, for all
supposed them to have perished; yet even now, in spite of all they had
discovered, the Governor refused his aid, and the confederates, being by
this time without funds, had no alternative but to apply directly to the
King of Spain. The mission was entrusted to Pizarro, who set out in the
spring of 1528, taking with him some of the natives, two or three
llamas, and specimens of the cloth and of the gold and silver ornaments,
to attest the truth of his wonderful story.