to confirm this sentence, and by his signature warranted t to be just. Astonished at his fate, Atahualpa endeavoured to avert it by his tears, by promises and by entreaties, that he might be sent to Spain where a monarch would be the arbiter of his fate. The unfeeling heart of Pizarro was never softened by pity. He ordered him to be led instantly to execution; and what added to the bitterness of his last moments, the same monk who had just ratified his doom, offered to console, and attempted to convert him; and promised to obtain a mitigation of his punishment, if he would embrace the christian faith. The dread of a cruel death extorted from the trembling victim a desire of receiving baptism. The ceremony was performed; and Atahualpa, instead of being burned, was strangled at the stake. But it remains on record for the credit of the Spanish nation, that even among the profligate adventurers which were sent to conquer and desolate the New World, there were persons who retained some of the Castilian generosity and honour. Though Ferdinand Pizarro, and Soto, were sent off on separate commands before the trial of the Inca, there were others who opposed this odious transaction. Several officers, and amongst those some of the greatest reputaion, and most respectable fame in the service, not only remonstrated, but protested against this measure of their general, as disgraceful to their country, as repugnant to every maxim of equity, as a violation of public faith, and an usurpation of jurisdiction over an independent monarch, to which they had no title. But their endeavours were vain; the greater number, such as held every thing to be awful that was advantageous, prevailed. History, however, records the unsuccessful exertions of virtue with applause, and the Spanish writers have not failed to preserve he names of those who made the laudable effort to save heir country from the infamy of having perpetrated such crime. After the execution of Atahualpa, Pizarro invested one of his sons with the ensigns of royalty, expecting that a young man without experience would prove a more passive instrument in his hands than an ambitious monarch, who had been accustomed to independent command. The people of Cuzco, and the adjacent country acknowledged . Manco Capac a brother of Huascar, as Inca; but the authority of the Incas was dissolved by the violent convulsions into which the empire had been thrown; first by the civil wars between the two brothers, and then by the invasion of the Spaniards. They had seen their monarch suffer an ignominious death by the hands of strangers; many of the descendants of the sun had been cut off by Atahualpa: their influence in the state was lost, and the accustomed respect to that sacred race sensibly diminished. The general who commanded for Atahualpa in Quito, seized the brother and children of his master, and put them to a cruel death, and endeavoured to establish a separate kingdom for himself. Pizarro no longer hesitated to advance to Cuzco; he had received considerable reinforcements: the account of the wealth acquired at Caxamalca, operated as he had foreseen. No sooner did his brother Ferdinand arrive at Panama, and display their riches to their astonished countrymen, than fame spread the account with such exaggeration, through all the Spanish settlements on the South Sea, that the governors of Guatimala, Panama, and Nicaragua, could hardly restrain the people from abandoning their possessions, and crowding to that inexhaustible source of wealth, which seemed to be opened in Peru. In spite of every check, such numbers resorted thither, that Pizarro began his march at the head of five hundred men, after leaving a considerable garrison at St. Michael, under the command of Benalcazar. The Peruvians had assembled some large bodies of troops to oppose his progress; several fierce encounters happened. But they terminated like all the actions in America, a few Spaniards were killed or wounded, and the natives put to flight, with incredible slaughter. Pizarro at length forced his way into Cuzco, and quietly seated himself in that capital. The riches found there exceeded in value, what had been received as Atahualpa's ransom. In their march to Cuzco, the son of Atahualpa, whom Pizarro had invested with the ensigns of royalty died: and as the Spaniards neglected to appoint another in his place, Manco Capac seems to have been universally recognized. Benalcazar who had been left governor of St. Michael, an able and enterprizing officer, was ashamed to be idle while his brethren were in arms, and in action; and, impatient to have his name distinguished among the conquerors of the New World, set out to attempt the reduction of Quito, leaving a sufficient force to protect the infant settlement intrusted to his care, which was augmented by fresh recruits from Panama and Nicaragua. At Quito he was informed by some of the natives, that Atahualpa had left the greatest part of his treasures. After marching through a mountainous country, covered with woods, and though often attacked by the best troops in Peru, conducted by a skilful leader, the valour and good conduct of Benalcazar surmounted every obstacle, and he entered Quito with his victorious troops. But here they met with a cruel disappointment. The natives were now acquainted with the predominant passion of their invaders, and had carried off all those treasures, the prospect of which had prompted them to undertake this arduous expedition. By this time, Ferdinand Pizarro had landed in Spain. The immense quantities of gold and silver which he carried with him, obtained him a gracious reception. In recompense of his brother's services, his authority was confirmed with new powers and privileges, and the addition of seventy leagues along the coast, added to his former grant. Almagro received the honours he had so ardently desired. The title of Adelantado or governor was conferred upon him, with jurisdiction over two hundred leagues of country, stretching beyond the southern limits of the province allotted to Pizarro. Ferdinand was admitted into the military order of St. Jago, a distinction always acceptable to a Spanish gentleman; he soon after set out on his return to Peru, accompanied by many persons of higher rank than had yet served in that country. Some account of his negociations, had reached Peru before he had arrived. Almagro being informed that he had obtained the royal patent for an independent government, pretended that Cuzco, the imperial residence of the Incas, lay within its boundaries, attempted to make himself master of that important station. Juan and Gonzalez Pizarro, prepared to oppose him. Each of the contending parties, were supported by powerful adherents, and the dispute was on the point of being terminated by the sword, when Francis Pizarro arrived in the capital. Their reconciliation had never been sincere. Pizarro's treachery in engrossing all the honours and emoluments which according to agree ment, was to have been shared equally amongst them, was always present in both their thoughts. Pizarro conscious of his own perfidy, expected no forgiveness; and Almagro was impatient to be revenged. But, notwithstanding these incentives to hostilities, each was so well acquainted with the courage and abilities of his rival, that they dreaded the consequences of an open rupture. That evil was averted for the present, by the address and firmness of Pizarro; a new reconciliation took place; the most prominent article in this treaty was, that Almagro should attempt the conquest of Chili; and if that was not adequate to his merit, Pizarro engaged to indemnify him out of his Peruvian possessions. This agreement was confirmed with the same sacred solemnities as at their first contract, and observed with no better fidelity. Pizarro after he had concluded this important transac tion, marched back to the countries on the sea coast, and applied himself with that persevering ardour, for which he was so eminently distinguished, to introduce a regular form of government. His natural sagacity supplied the want of science and experience. He divided the country into various districts, and appointed magistrates to preside in each. He considered himself as laying the foundation of a great empire; he deliberated with much solicitude, in what place he should fix the seat of government. Cuzco was situated in a corner of the empire, about four hundred miles from the sea, and at a greater distance from Quito. In marching through the country, he had been struck with the beauty and fertility of the valley of Rimac one of the most fertile and best cultivated in Peru. There, on the banks of a small river of the same name, about six miles from Callao, the most commodious harbour in the Pacific Ocean, he founded the city known at this time by the name of Lima. Under his inspection, it advanced with such rapidity that, in the year 1535, it soon assumed the form of a city, which by a magnificent palace he built for himself and the stately houses, erected by several of his officers, gave even in its infancy, some indication of its subsequent grandeur Almagro in consequence of his agreement with Pizarro, began his march towards Chili; and as he was admired by his soldiers for a boundless liberality and fearless courage, his standard was followed by five hundred and seventy men; the greatest body of Europeans that had hitherto been assembled in Peru. Impatient to finish the expedition, instead of advancing along the level country, Almagro chose to march across the mountains, by a shorter route, but almost impracticable. By calamities they suffered from fatigue, famine, and the inclemency of the climate: many of them perished, and when they descended into the fertile plains of Chili, they found there a race of men nearly resembling the warlike tribes in North America. Though filled with wonder at the first appearance of the Spaniards and astonished at the operations of their cavalry, and fire arms, the Chilese soon recovered from their surprize, and defended themselves with obstinacy, and attacked their new enemies with more determined fierceness and courage, than any American nation had hitherto discovered. · The Spaniards, notwithstanding this formidable opposition, continued to penetrate into the country, and collected some considerable quantities of gold; but so far were they from thinking to form any settlement among such powerful neighbours, that in spite of the experience and valour of their leader, the final issue of the expedition remained extremely dubious: while they were in this painfal suspense, a messenger arrived, who informed Almagro of a revolution that had unexpectedly taken place in Peru; the causes of which, as they make a necessary part of the History of America, it is expedient to trace to their source. So many adventurers had flocked to Peru in the year 1535 from every Spanish colony in America, and all with such high expectations of accumulating independent fortunes at once, Pizarro thought it unsafe for them to be inactive; he therefore encouraged some of the principal officers, who had lately joined him, to invade different provinces of the empire, which the Spaniards had not hitherto visited. Several large bodies were formed for this purpose, and about the time that Almagro set out for Chili, they marched into remote districts of the country, Manco |