ness disgraceful to his former fame, he surrendered to one of Gasca's officers; Carvajal endeavouring to escape, was overtaken, and seized: Gasca, happy in this bloodless victory, did not stain it with cruelty. Pizarro, Carvajal, and a small number of the most notorious offenders, were punished capitally. Pizarro was beheaded the day after he surrendered. He submitted to his fate with a composed dignity, and seemed desirous to atone by repentance for the crimes which he had committed. The end of Carvajal was suitable to his life. On his trial he offered no defence. When the sentence, adjudging him to be hanged, was pronounced, he carelessly replied, "One can "die but once." In the interval between the sentence and execution, he discovered no signs of remorse for the past, or solicitude about the future, scoffing at all who visited him, in his usual sarcastic vein of mirth, with the same quickness of repartee and pleasantry, as at any other period of his life. Cepeda more criminal than either, ought to have shared the same fate, but the merit of having deserted his associates at such a critical moment, and with such decisive effect, saved him from immediate punishment. He was sent as a prisoner to Spain, and died in confinement. On the death of Pizarro, the malecontents in every corner of Peru laid down their arms, and tranquillity seemed to be perfectly re-established. But two very interesting objects still remained to occupy the president's attention. The one was to find employment immediately for a multitude of turbulent, daring adventurers, with which the country was filled; as might prevent them from exciting new commotions. The other to reward those, to whose loyalty and valour he was indebted for his success. The former of these he accomplished by appointing Pedro de Valdivia to prosecute the conquest of Chili, and by empowering Diego Centeno to undertake the discovery of the vast regions bordering on the river De la Plata; the reputation of these leaders, and the hopes of bettering their. condition, allured many desperate soldiers to follow their standards, and drained that part of the country of a large portion of that inflammable mutinous spirit which Gasca dreaded. The latter was an affair of great difficulty, claimants were very numerous. The That he might have leisure to weigh the comparative merits of their several claims, he retired with the arch bishop of Lima to a village twelve leagues from Cuzco There he spent several days in allotting to each a district of lands and a number of Indians, in proportion to his idea of their past services. But that he might get beyond the reach of the fierce storm of clamour and rage which he foresaw would burst out on the publication of the decree, he set out for Lima leaving the instrument of partition sealed up, with orders not to open it for some days after his departure. As he expected, so it happened, but by his prudent management the discontented were appeased, and order was established Having now accomplished every object of his mission Gasca longed to return to a private station. He committed the government of Peru to the court of audience, and set out for Spain, where he was received with universal ap plause. Men less enterprizing and desperate, and more accustomed to move in the path of sober and peaceable industry, settled in Peru, and the royal authority was gra dually established as firmly there, as in the other Spanish colonies. END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. |