Pizarro, having made very extensive discoveries in Peru,' went to Spain, by agreement of the joint adventurers, to ask a commission from Charles V, for the conquest and government of that country; and, on giving information to the emperor of his discoveries and purposes, and presenting his request, was appointed governor, captain general, and adelantado of all the country, which he had discovered, with supreme authority.* 1529. Cortes, having gone to Spain the preceding year,3 now signed an instrument, which had also the signature of the empress of Spain, by which he obliged himself to send ships at his own expense, for the discovery of countries and lands in the South Sea.* sails of the soldiers' shirts. In conclusion, 15 only were left alive, 4 of whom, after suffering almost incredible miseries, arrived 8 years afterward at Mexico. The bay of Pensacola is said, by the Spaniards, to have been dis covered in this expedition by Narvaez, who landed there. Ibid. I See A. D. 1525. He was absent three years on these discoveries, and returned to Panama about the end of 1527. Herrera, iv. 6. Charlevoix [Nouv. France, i. p. xix.] says, he discovered about 200 leagues of the Peruvian coast, even to the port of Santo beyond the district of Quito. The sickliness of those regions, and the hardships of the adventurers, may be inferred from the extraordinary mortality, that prevailed among them. Pizarro carried out 112 men, Almagro 70. In less than nine months 130 of these died. Few fell by the sword; most of them perished by diseases. Robertson, iii. Note II. 2 Vega, 435. 3 He went to Castile in great pomp, carrying 250,000 marks of gold and silver, and was honourably received by the emperor, who conferred on him the vale of Atrisco in New Spain, with new titles, and extended powers. Herrera, iv. 22-26. Harris Voy. i. 272. Venegas California, i. 133. 4 Venegas, i. 133. Cortes had, in 1527, sent Saavedra with three ships from New Spain, to find a passage that way to the Moluccas. One of the ships arrived safely at these islands, and returned the same way back to Panama this year (1529), laden with spices. This voyage prepar ed the Spaniards to possess themselves of the Philippine Islands, in the In dian seas, which they hold to this day. Anderson, Hist. Commerce, ii. 51. Harris Voy. i. 172. 1530. with Brasil William Hawkins of Plymouth having commen- English inced a friendly intercourse with the natives of Bra- terccurse sil, one of the kings of that country voluntarily accompanied him to England, where he was introduced to Henry VIII at Whitehall.' 1531, Pizarro, returning from Spain, landed at Nom, Pizarro rebre de Dios, marched across the isthmus of Pana- turns from Spain. ma; and joining Almagro and Luque, these three enterprising associates, by the utmost efforts of their combined interests, fitted out three small vessels, with one hundred and eighty soldiers. With this contemptible armament Pizarro sailed, to invade a February. great empire. Landing at the bay of St. Matthew, Sails for the he advanced toward the south along the sea cost; Peru. and, after various disasters, reached the province of Coaque, and surprised and plundered the principal settlement. Continuing his march along the coast, he attacked the natives with such violence, as compelled them either to retire into the interior country, or to submit to the conqueror; and met with little resistance, until he attacked the island of Puna, in the bay of Guayquil, whose inhabitants defended themselves with such obstinate valour, that he spent six months in their reduction. He next proceeded to Tumbez, where he remained several months." 1 Hakluyt, i. 520. Purchas, v. 1179."-at the sight of whome," saya Hakluyt," the king and all the nobilitie did not a little marveile, and not without cause for in his cheekes were holes made according to their sav-, age manner, and therein small bones were planted, standing an inch out from the said holes, which in his own countrey was reputed for a great braverie. He had also another hole in his nether lippe, wherein was set a precious stone about the bignesse of a pease. All his apparell, behaviour and gesture, were very strange to the beholders." The change of air and diet so affected him, that on his return with Hawkins he died at sea. Ibid. 2 Robertson, iii. þook vi. Founds the in Perp. 1532. Pizarro, passing forward to the river Piuro, es« first colony tablished near its mouth the first Spanish colony in Peru, and named it St. Michael. Leaving a garrison at this new town, he began his march, with a toward the very slender and ill accoutred train of followers, quarters of toward Caxamalca, where Atahualpa, the Inca of the Inca. Peru, was encamped with a considerable body of Sept. 4. Sends an troops, and soon met an officer, dispatched by the Inca with a valuable present, and an offer of his alliance and assurances of a friendly reception at Caxamalca, Pizarro, advancing with pretensions of coming as the ambassador of a very powerful monarch united with professions of friendship, entered the town, and having posted his troops in an advantageous station, dispatched Hernando Soto and his brother Ferdinand to the camp of Atahualpa, which the Inca. was about a league distant. He instructed them to renew his assurances of a pacific disposition, and to desire an interview with the Inca, that he might more fully explain the intention of the Spaniards in visiting his country. They were treated with the respectful hospitality, characteristic of the Peruvi ans; and Ahatualpa promised to visit the commander the next day in his quarters. Pizarro now reseize him. solved, with equal temerity and perfidy, to seize the person of the Inca, in the interview, to which he had invited him. For the execution of his scheme he divided his cavalry into three small squadrons, under the command of his brother Ferdinand, Soto, and Belcanazar; his infantry were formed in one body, excepting twenty, of most tried courage, whom he kept near his own person, to support Resolves to 1 Herrera, iv. 221. Robertson, iii. 21. 2 It consisted of 62 horse and 106 foot, among whom were 20 cross bow men. Herrera, iv. 236. In this dangerous enterprise Pizarro incited his men to go forward by the singular argument," that his main design was the propagating of the Catholic faith, without injuring any person." Had he been but ingenuous enough for the Arabian impostor, he would have made an admirable propagator of the Mahometan faith. him in the dangerous service, which he reserved for 1532. himself; and the artillery, consisting of two field pieces, and the cross bow men, were placed opposite to the avenue, by which Atahualpa was to approach. Early in the morning the Peruvian camp was all in motion; and late in the day the procession, which had been arranged with care, to give an impression of splendour and magnificence, began to move. The Inca at length approached. First of all appeared Approach four hundred men, in a uniform dress, as harbin- of the Inca gers, to clear his way. The Inca himself, sitting on a throne or couch, adorned with plumes, and almost covered with plates of gold and silver, enriched with precious stones, was carried on the shoulders of his principal attendants. Behind him came some chief officers of his court, borne in the same manner. This cavalcade was accompanied by several bands of singers and dancers; and the whole plain was covered with troops, amounting to more than thirty thousand men. As the Inca drew near the Spanish quarters, father Vincent Valverde, chap- Address of lain to the expedition, advanced with a crucifix in the Spanish one hand, and a breviary in the other, and in a long priest to discourse proposed to him the doctrines of the Christian faith; informed him of the donation, made to the king of Castile by pope Alexander, of all the regions in the New World; and required him to embrace Christianity; to acknowledge the supreme jurisdiction of the pope; and to submit to the king of Castile, as his lawful sovereign.' hin Most of his harangue, mysterious in its nature, and translated by an unskilful interpreter, was altogether incomprehensible to Atahualpa; and some parts of it, of more obvious meaning, filled him with astonishment and indignation. His reply, however, His reply. was temperate. He asserted his right to his dominions by hereditary succession; and added, that 1 Vega, 450, 451. Robertson, iii. book vi. Founds the in Perp. 1532. Pizarro, passing forward to the river Piuro, es first colony tablished near its mouth the first Spanish colony in Peru, and named it St. Michael. Leaving a garrison at this new town, he began his march, with a toward the very slender and ill accoutred train of followers, quarters of toward Caxamalca, where Atahualpa, the Inca of the Inca, Peru, was encamped with a considerable body of Sept. 4. Sends an en.bassy to the Inca. troops, and soon met an officer, dispatched by the Inca with a valuable present, and an offer of his alliance and assurances of a friendly reception at Caxamalca, Pizarro, advancing with pretensions of coming as the ambassador of a very powerful monarch united with professions of friendship, entered the town, and having posted his troops in an advantageous station, dispatched Hernando Soto and his brother Ferdinand to the camp of Atahualpa, which was about a league distant. He instructed them to renew his assurances of a pacific disposition, and to desire an interview with the Inca, that he might more fully explain the intention of the Spaniards in visiting his country. They were treated with the respectful hospitality, characteristic of the Peruvi ans; and Ahatualpa promised to visit the commander the next day in his quarters. Pizarro now reseize him. solved, with equal temerity and perfidy, to seize the person of the Inca, in the interview, to which he had invited him. For the execution of his scheme he divided his cavalry into three small squadrons, under the command of his brother Ferdinand, Soto, and Belcanazar; his infantry were formed in one body, excepting twenty, of most tried courage, whom he kept near his own person, to support Resolves to 1 Herrera, iv. 221. Robertson, iii. 21. 2 It consisted of 62 horse and 106 foot, among whom were 20 crose bow men. Herrera, iv. 236. In this dangerous enterprise Pizarro incited his men to go forward by the singular argument," that his main design was the propagating of the Catholic faith, without injuring any person." Had he been but ingenuous enough for the Arabian impostor, he would have made an admirable propagator of the Mahometan faith. |