Placing himself at the head of his troops, he struck boldly into the
heart of the country, received everywhere by the natives with confiding
hospitality. The Spaniards were careful to give no offence, being aware
that their best chance of success lay in conciliating the people by whom
they were surrounded. After five days' marching, Pizarro halted in a
pleasant valley to rest his company, and finding that some few among
them showed discontent and were unwilling to proceed, he called them all
together, and told them that they had now reached a crisis which it
would require all their courage to meet, and no man should go forward
who had any misgivings as to the success of the expedition. He added
that the garrison left in San Miguel was by no means as strong as he
would like it to be, and that if any of them wished to return there
instead of going forward with him they were quite free to do so, and
their share in the profits of the expedition should be just the same as
that of the men originally left there. Nine of the soldiers availed
themselves of this permission to turn back, and having thus got rid of
the elements of discontent, which might have become dangerous, Pizarro
resumed his march, halting again at Zaran while he sent an officer
forward to obtain more certain tidings of the position of Atahuallpa.
After eight days the cavalier returned, bringing with him an envoy from
the Inca, who bore a present for the Spanish commander, and invited him
to visit Atahuallpa's camp among the mountains. Pizarro quite understood
that the Inca's object was to learn the strength and condition of the
white men, but he hospitably entertained his guest, giving him all the
information he demanded by means of the two interpreters, who had by his
forethought been taught Castilian, and were now of inestimable service.
When the Peruvian departed, Pizarro presented him with a few trifling
gifts, and bade him tell Atahuallpa that he would meet him as soon as
possible. After sending an account of their proceedings back to San
Miguel the adventurers continued their journey towards Caxamalca, and
having crossed a deep and rapid river, fell in with some natives, who
gave such contrary reports of Atahuallpa's position and intentions that
Pizarro sent one of the Indians who accompanied him ostensibly to bear a
friendly greeting to the Inca, but really to find out all he could of
the state of affairs.
After a further march of three days the little army reached the foot of
the huge mountain barrier, and entered upon the labyrinth of passes
which were to lead them to Atahuallpa's camp. The difficulties of the
way were enough to have appalled the stoutest heart. The path was in
many places so steep that the men had to dismount and scramble up as
best they could, dragging their horses after them; often some huge crag
so overhung the track that they could scarcely creep round the narrow
ledge of rock, while a false step would have plunged them into a fearful
precipice. In several of the passes huge stone fortresses had been
built, and places abounded where a handful of men might have barred the
way successfully against an army, but to the relief of the Spaniards
they found all quiet and deserted, the only living things visible being
an occasional condor or vicuna. Finding that their passage was not to be
disputed, Pizarro, who had led the way with one detachment, encamped for
the night, sending word back to his brother to bring up the remainder of
the force without delay. Another toilful day brought him to the crest of
the Cordillera, a bleak tract where the only vegetation was a dry,
yellow grass which grew up to the snow-line. Here he was met by one of
his Indian messengers, who reported that the path was clear, and an
envoy from the Inca was on his way to the Castilian camp. Very soon the
Peruvians appeared, bringing a welcome present of llamas and a message
from their master, who desired to know when the Spaniards would reach
Caxamalca, that he might provide suitably for their reception. The
ambassador vaunted the power and the triumphs of Atahuallpa; but Pizarro
was not to be outdone, and did not hesitate to declare that the Inca was
as much inferior to the King of Spain as the petty chiefs of the country
were to the Inca. After another march of two days the Spaniards began
the descent of the eastern side of the Cordillera, meeting by the way
another and more important envoy, and seven days later the valley of
Caxamalca lay before them, the vapour of its hot springs rising in the
still air, and the slope of the further hillside white with the tents of
the Inca's encampment for a space of several miles--a sight which filled
the Spaniards with a dismay they could hardly conceal. Putting on a bold
front they marched into the town, which was quite deserted, but seemed
large enough to hold ten thousand people, and then Pizarro despatched an
embassy consisting of his brother Hernando, another cavalier, and
thirty-five horsemen, to the camp of Atahuallpa. The party galloped
along the causeway, and, fording a shallow stream, made their way
through a guard of Indians to the open courtyard in the midst of which
the Inca's pavilion stood. The buildings were covered with a shining
plaster, both white and coloured, and there was a spacious stone
reservoir in the courtyard, which remains to this day, and is called
'The Inca's Bath.' The Court was filled with Indian nobles, and
Atahuallpa himself sat upon a low stool, distinguished from the rest by
the crimson fringe upon his forehead, which he had worn since the defeat
of his brother Huascar. Hernando Pizarro rode up to him and, addressing
him ceremoniously, informed him by the aid of Felipillo that he came as
an ambassador from his brother to acquaint the Inca with the arrival of
the white men in Caxamalca, and to explain that they were the subjects
of a mighty prince across the waters, who, attracted by the report of
his great victories, had come to offer their services, and to impart to
him the doctrines of the true faith which they professed, and he brought
an invitation from the general to beg Atahuallpa to visit them in their
present quarters. To all this the Inca listened with his eyes fixed upon
the ground, and answered never a word, but one of the nobles standing by
said, 'It is well.' Hernando Pizarro then respectfully begged the Inca
to speak to them himself and inform them of his pleasure, upon which
Atahuallpa smiled faintly and replied: 'Tell your captain that I am
keeping a fast, which will end to-morrow morning; I will then visit him.
In the meantime let him occupy the public buildings on the square, and
no other, till I come and order what shall be done.'