Francisco Pizarro was a little Spanish boy who was very poor and very miserable. Living in a beautiful valley where the climate was agreeable, and where one might gather grapes and chestnuts and oranges at will, it might have been quite possible for him to be poor and happy, too, but there were many things about Francisco's lot that were harder to bear than poverty. Many other children dwelt in this pleasant valley, some of them as poor and wretched and ragged as Francisco, and others who were rich and well clothed and happy. Not far from the little hut that was Francisco's home was a stately castle, where a great duke lived, and the little boy would often go and stand by the stone wall that enclosed the grounds, and wonder how it would seem to live in that splendid mansion, and be allowed to walk in its beautiful parks. Once in a while, when the gates were opened to let in a crowd of gaily-dressed visitors, or when the duke, at the head of a laughing party, went forth on a merry hunting expedition, he would catch a glimpse of the velvet lawns and shady trees and gorgeous flowers, and could see children dressed in dainty garments, and sometimes wearing beautiful jewels, playing on the gra.s.s or swinging under the trees. And Francisco would look and look with eyes big with wonder till the gay party had pa.s.sed and the gates swung back in his face, and he was left out there in the dusty road alone. And then he would turn and watch the hunting party until the brilliant scene faded quite away in the distance, and he was once more left alone. It always seemed to him that no matter how gay or happy this bit of the world might seem, it always ended in his being left outside of that gray stone wall, alone and hungry and ragged, and that in fact these glimpses of another, happier life were only after all just like his dreams, which were sure to fade away when morning came. He could not help sighing sometimes and wishing that the dream would go on for him just as it did for the other children inside the stone wall. Once it did go on just a moment or two, for one day as he stood dejectedly by the gates, they opened, and a beautiful child came out who spoke to him kindly. He was dressed in a suit of velvet, and his long hair fell in curls over his shoulders, and in his cap was a little pearl ornament which fastened a bird's wing. And Francisco, as he looked at the wing, thought he had never in his life seen anything so wonderful, for the feathers were soft like velvet, but glowed and burned in the sunlight like the rubies in the ring on the child's hand.

He raised his hand and touched the lovely object, and the wearer of the cap, being as kind-hearted as he was beautiful, began to tell Francisco the story of the wing--how it had been given to him by a great soldier, who had brought it from a long way off, farther than he himself had ever been; farther than the mountains or the sea even.

Francisco wondered at this, and when the child pa.s.sed on he stood still thinking a long time; it seemed so strange to hear that there were other places and countries besides this quiet little valley where he had always lived. Then he went back to his work, disagreeable work it was, very, for he had to watch the swine and keep them from straying off; but that night his dreams were brighter than ever, for he dreamed that he had visited those strange lands that he had heard of from the child, and that he had found enough treasures there to make him rich and great. The morning came and the dream was gone, but it left behind a thought that did not go away. And always after the boy Francisco carried with him the resolve to make his dream come true. But for many years there seemed no hope of anything beyond the mean life he was living, and sometimes he quite despaired. He was very proud and ambitious, too, and his lowly lot in life seemed all the more bitter when he compared it with that of the more fortunate boys who had good comfortable homes and could go to school. He thought that he should have a good home and go to school too, for his father was a man of wealth and of good birth; but his mother was only a peasant, and it was with her he had always lived, and the poor woman could not afford to bring up her child in comfort, or even to have him taught to read and write. And so Francisco grew to be a big boy, and still watched the pigs from morning till night, and still sighed restlessly to get away from his distasteful life, and find one fairer and n.o.bler.

One day, when he was quite a big lad, a stranger came to the little valley; he was an old, weather-beaten sailor, and had sailed across distant seas and journeyed through many strange lands, and at night, when the peasant boys were through with their day's work, they all gathered around him and listened to his tales of the great world that lay beyond the mountains that shut in their quiet little valley, just as the stone wall shut in the duke's palace.

Francisco listened with the others, but his heart beat wildly, for, as the old man talked, it seemed that he was again in the land of his dreams. And no wonder, for the sailor's stories were very wonderful and quite true, for he was one of the men that sailed across the ocean with Columbus on his first great voyage. He had seen with his own eyes that far-off, beautiful land, where the air was always soft as the spring in the valleys, and where the flowers bloomed forever, and the trees bore delicious fruits; he had heard the reports of its mountains of gold and mines of precious stones, and rivers whose waves tossed gleaming pearls upon the beach. And it was all true, and all this wealth and beauty lay there waiting for bold hearts and brave hands to claim and keep, for the people of that far country were only poor savages, knowing nothing of the value of the gold and gems they wore, and were so ignorant that they thought the Spaniards were the children of some great G.o.d, and were ready to fall down and worship their beauty and strength and courage.

And the old man talked till the stars came out, and the moon had climbed far up the sky, for never before had there been told such wonderful news as this, for all the stories of the fabulous wealth of the East had come true at last, and no one could doubt any more. By and by, as the days pa.s.sed, the sailor told other stories of other countries, where the soldiers of Spain were winning great victories, and although his words were forgotten by most of the boys, yet Francisco and one or two others thought of them often and pondered over them, and thought what a fine thing it must be to be a soldier fighting for honor and glory. And as time went on they talked more and more about this, and at last they resolved to leave their old miserable life behind them forever, and go out into the world and seek their fortune. But they had to be very careful and secret, for they meant to run away; the summer was gone and the autumn had come to the valley before the three boys found a chance to carry out their plan, and one morning when Francisco and his friends were called to go to their distasteful work, they did not answer, for they were far on their way up the mountains, and had said farewell to the valley forever. It was pleasant travelling through the hospitable country roads, and after they had gone so far that they had no fear of being overtaken, they went on merrily enough. Francisco's heart was the lightest and bravest. He had most detested his old life, and now he most rejoiced that it was past.

So the boys journeyed on and crossed the mountains and pa.s.sed through the fertile valleys and then climbed other mountains, and everywhere the kind country folk gave them food and drink and shelter, and the young travellers thought they had never had grapes and chestnuts and goat's milk taste as good before, as they ate and drank under the trees by the road-side or in some peasant's cottage; and by and by the journey was over, and they were in Seville. And now the runaways found they were out in the world indeed. No one in all that great, splendid city cared in the least whether they lived or died, whether they suffered from hunger or thirst, or whether they had a place to lay their heads at night. But they kept brave hearts, got what they could to eat, slept where they could at night, and spent the days in wandering through the streets and getting acquainted with the life of a great city. And although they were not sure where bread and cheese were to come from and where they were to lie down at night, still the wonderful sights of this new life, the magnificent houses, splendid palaces, costly dresses, and, above all, the companies of mounted soldiers that were continually parading the streets, all drove thoughts of home from their minds, and they did not regret in the least that they had exchanged the village of Truxillo for the glitter and show of Seville.

In a few days Francisco decided that he would join the army and go to Italy, where the Spaniards were then fighting, and as the king wanted all the soldiers he could get, and as he was large and well developed for his age, he had no trouble in enlisting in one of the regiments, and when he put on the gaudy uniform and began to live in camp, he felt, indeed, that his old life was over and that Francisco Pizarro was quite a different person from the ragged little urchin that tended pigs at Truxillo.

But there was one sad thing about it, and that was the parting from his two friends, for Pizarro's regiment sailed very soon for Italy, and it was with great sorrow that he said farewell to the two companions who had shared the excitement and danger of his escape from home. However, the noise of war soon drove sad thoughts from his mind, and so eagerly did he enter into his new life that he soon became one of the best soldiers in the regiment, and so renowned for bravery that by the time the war was over and the army ready to return to Spain he had been made a lieutenant. This only made him more ambitious, and as he found life in the city very stupid for the next few years, because there was no fighting to be done, he was very glad when he heard one day that a great expedition was to be sent out to America, and that any one who was brave and daring might join it and so have a chance of gaining riches and fame. He hastened to Cadiz at once, and as his courage and bravery were well known, had no trouble in being made one of the company; and when, in a few days, the ships left Cadiz and started on their long voyage across the Atlantic, Pizarro thought with great joy that he was on his way to those strange lands at last, and that perhaps his old dreams might come true.

The voyage was a stormy one, but at last they came safely to Hispaniola, and there Pizarro learned, what all newly-arrived Spaniards were not slow to learn, that of all restless, roving lives, those of Spanish adventurers were the most so. They were never content to remain in one place, but went hither and thither in their mad search for gold, always hoping to find something better, and always ready to risk their lives for the sake of bettering their fortunes. And so, no sooner had Pizarro become a little acquainted with the country at Hispaniola than he straightway caught the mad fever for moving on to some new place; and as there were constant reports of the wealth of the countries of Central America and Mexico, he decided that those places would suit him better than Hispaniola, and he accepted an offer to go to Darien, meaning to explore the country and see for himself what riches it contained.

At that time Balboa was also living in Darien, and Pizarro was one of the company who went with him across the isthmus to discover the Pacific. In this expedition Pizarro noted the country well, and was rejoiced to see the gold and gems which were bestowed upon him by the friendly chiefs, and when he returned to Darien he was very willing to become the leader of an expedition that the governor of the colony was fitting out, to conquer lands on the Pacific. The party reached the ocean in safety, and Pizarro immediately resolved to get all the treasure he could before any other Spaniards should have a chance to come there. On his former visit he had heard from the natives that there were great quant.i.ties of pearls to be found on some islands lying out from the land, and now he at once called part of his men together, and leaving the rest on the sh.o.r.e, started out in canoes to reach the islands. The sea was heavy, and the canoes were capsized more than once, but they reached the islands at last, only to find that the natives were thronging the beach ready to drive them off as quickly as they should land. But Pizarro was not to be driven back, and after a hard fight, the Indians retreated to the woods and left the Spaniards in peace. They began their search for pearls at once, and found them in such quant.i.ties that Pizarro named the spot the "Isle of Pearls," and after gathering a great store of these precious gems, and securing also a great deal of gold, he went back to Darien with his treasures and reported that the country was as rich as Cathay or Mexico.

The governor of Darien, on hearing this news, thought it would be a very good plan to move his capital from Darien across the isthmus so that he would be nearer the riches of the land, and in a short time the greater part of the colony were living in Panama, and eagerly watching for opportunities of gathering gold and gems.

Here Pizarro lived like a great man. He had a fine house and a long train of Indian servants, and flocks, and fields, and was looked upon as a rich man and a brave soldier. But he was not quite satisfied. Often, as he walked in his broad fields, he would look toward the north, where lay the land of Montezuma, the land that Cortez had conquered, thus winning for himself lasting honor and glory, besides great wealth, greater than Pizarro could ever expect to gain in his quiet home in Panama. And then he sometimes looked southward, too, and wondered what lay there beyond the blue, misty horizon. It could not be possible, he thought, that Cortez and Balboa had made all the great discoveries; perhaps there were other lands away there in the south as rich and great as Mexico. Perhaps it might be his good fortune some day to discover an empire as boundless and wonderful as that of Montezuma. So he pondered, day after day, over what the future might bring, and always listened eagerly for tales of the lands to the southward, where lay the great ocean that Balboa had discovered. And one day a visitor came to his home, who told him just what he wanted to hear, that there _was_ a very great and powerful empire far south of Panama, and that with a good band of resolute soldiers, and a brave leader, it might be easily conquered.

And as Pizarro listened he resolved that he would be the leader if he could only find men enough to follow him on his perilous undertaking.

Very wonderful things did the traveller tell of this new country, for a very wonderful country it was, and as Pizarro heard the accounts of its wealth and prosperity, it seemed to him that the old stories of Cathay and the realms of Kublai Khan were actually true. And, indeed, this country that lay to the south, protected on one side by the ocean, and on the other by its giant, snow-capped mountains, was more like the old dreams of Cathay than any land that had yet been seen by the Europeans.

The empire of Peru, like that of the Aztecs, had existed for hundreds and hundreds of years, and its ruler, the mighty Inca, like the great Montezuma, was a descendant of the Sun. He was therefore held in great reverence by his subjects, as a child of their great G.o.d. For the sun was the princ.i.p.al deity of the Peruvians. In his honor were built the most splendid temples that the world has ever seen. In Cuzco, the capital of Peru, was a temple of the sun that was so magnificent it was called the "Place of Gold." The walls were covered with solid plates of burnished gold, and on one side was the image of the sun, made of purest gold, its face glittering with diamonds and emeralds and rubies, and the long golden rays reaching from the ceiling to the floor.

In Cuzco, also, was the Temple of the Moon, adorned with silver, and with an image representing the G.o.ddess of night; and all the service of the temples was of the purest gold and silver, curiously wrought and beaten, and the great altars were ornamented with great golden lilies set with pearls and diamonds, and the lamps were brilliant with pendant emeralds and rubies and sapphires.

The Peruvian empire extended from Cuzco to Quito, and everywhere throughout the dominion were splendid cities, in which were great palaces and temples, all glittering with gold and silver, and all showing the wealth and power of the Inca. These cities were connected by great public roads that led from one end of the empire to the other, and it is said that in no country in the world were there such fine highways as those in Peru. The roads were very wide and covered with a substance that hardened and became very smooth and even, so the messengers could run easily, and on either side were ma.s.sive walls, built of great blocks of stone, while inside the walls ran clear streams of water, bordered with beautiful trees. The princ.i.p.al road ran from Cuzco to Quito, straight on through mountains which had been cut away, and over rocky precipices, across which suspension bridges were thrown, and through valleys that had been filled up to the level with lime and stones. A day's journey apart on the roads stood the king's palaces, beautifully furnished and fitted up with everything that a traveller might need, and so pleasant was travelling in this country that a long journey seemed only a succession of pleasant trips through delightful forests and amid grand mountain scenery. And all day long, up and down these roads, pa.s.sed the servants of the Inca, carrying messages and burdens from one part of the empire to the other, and all over the country the people were busy and happy, working for the emperor whom they loved and revered. There were no poor people in Peru, for the Inca owned all the land and mines and palaces, and he gave to each family enough to support them comfortably, while they in return worked for him, and for the weak and sick, who could not care for themselves. The men worked in the gold and silver mines, and on the public roads, and built the temples and palaces, and tilled the fields, and raised the sheep, the wool from which was spun and woven by the women into beautiful cloth, dyed with rare colors, and interwoven sometimes with threads of gold and silver. And although some of the laws were very strict, yet for the most part they were just and merciful; and so the whole empire seemed liked one great family, of which the Inca was the loved and trusted head.

On great festival days the great public squares in the cities were thronged with the people who came in from the country to take part in the celebration. And there were many festival days during the year, and so the Peruvians had a great deal of pleasure, for on a holiday no one ever thought of working. The reason of this was that most of the festivals were of a religious nature, and it would have been considered a sin not to observe them. The most splendid festival of all the year was the Feast of the Sun. This was always held at Cuzco, and from every part of the empire the people came flocking to the capital, and for days and days before, the roads were filled with travellers on their way to the great feast. The celebration began with the dawn, and as soon as it became light the inhabitants began to pour into the great central square, or to throng the balconies and housetops which overlooked it.

All the city was gorgeously decorated, flags and banners floated from the columns and roofs of the temples and palaces, and rich cloths of dazzling hues, embroidered in gold and silver and precious stones, hung from the windows and balconies, while everywhere were great urns of gold and silver and stone, filled with flowers, and rare shrubs and plants brought from the surrounding country. On this day the Inca appeared in his greatest glory and state. Clad in a robe of the softest and most beautiful material, embroidered with leaves and flowers of gold, and with a collar of emeralds around his neck, wearing on his head a glittering diadem from which floated the gorgeous plumes of some rare tropical bird, he appeared in the midst of his people seated on a throne of solid gold, and surrounded by all his great n.o.bles, whose magnificent appearance added still more glory to his own. His litter was borne by courtiers wearing coronets of gold and silver, and near him sat the princ.i.p.al men of his kingdom, whose litters were carried by soldiers dressed in rich and showy uniforms. Behind the Inca and his n.o.bles came the soldiers, wearing helmets of skin studded with jewels, and clothed in white or blue tunics, the officers bearing the royal standards of the country, which were embroidered with gold and silver, and close beside the Inca walked a standard-bearer holding the imperial banner, upon which was wrought a rainbow, the symbol of royalty; and as the great procession advanced into the square amid waving of banners and nodding plumes and to the sound of warlike music, the people all fell on their knees and bowed their heads and paid homage to the Inca, the child of the sun. And then all was silent, for they awaited the coming of the G.o.d whose day they celebrated, but as soon as his first rays touched the snowy heights of the lofty Cordilleras, a great shout of joy went up from the mult.i.tude, who welcomed with hymns of praise the coming of the mighty G.o.d. Then the Inca would rise from his throne, and raising high in the air a golden, jewelled goblet, pour out a libation to the sun, after which the procession wound slowly to the temple, where sacrifices were offered of sheep and birds and flowers, and sometimes, when there had been a great victory in battle, even young maidens and beautiful children were offered up, and then after many other ceremonies the people left the temples and pa.s.sed the rest of the day in singing and eating and drinking, and all kinds of merry-making. There were many other festival days, but the Feast of the Sun was the greatest, and was held in summer when the days were longest and the G.o.d remained for many hours above the horizon.

And it was these happy and contented Peruvians that Pizarro had determined to conquer, and it was their beautiful country that he meant to take possession of. But much as he desired to do this, it would have been impossible without the aid of two good friends, who helped him with money and influence. One of these friends was a bold cavalier by the name of Almagro; the other was a very rich priest named Luque; and it was agreed between the three that Almagro should get the ships ready and enlist the men, that Luque should furnish the money, and that Pizarro should command the expedition and conquer Peru, and then divide the riches of the conquered country equally between his two partners. By this arrangement the hardest part of the work fell to Pizarro; but he did not mind that at all, and, in fact, would have been dissatisfied had it been otherwise, while, on the contrary, Almagro and Luque were equally willing to remain in Panama; and so everybody was satisfied, and the preparations began at once.

Only the bravest and strongest men were chosen, and when the little company a.s.sembled, they only numbered one hundred and twelve; but this did not discourage Pizarro, for he was determined to be discouraged at nothing, and on the 17th of November, 1524, after an imposing service in the cathedral, where Luque blessed the commander and his soldiers, and bade them G.o.d-speed, the little fleet sailed from Panama and started southwest on its voyage of conquest.

But many misfortunes happened to Pizarro before he saw the coast of Peru. The way was new and strange, and he did not know how far off Peru was, and he landed many times along the coast in hope of finding a path that would lead to the great empire, but found instead only marshes and deserts and tangled underbrush, where his men were bitten by poisonous serpents, and where they suffered from hunger and thirst and disease; and years pa.s.sed, and all that he knew of the coveted land he heard from some Indians dwelling along the coast, who wore heavy golden ornaments, and said that a great and rich country lay back from the sea, governed by a mighty ruler. But this news only made Pizarro more eager than ever to carry out his plan. Almagro had come from Panama with men and provisions, or long before the whole party would have died of hunger and disease, and then Pizarro sent him back for more men, feeling sure, from a visit that he had paid to an Indian village near the coast, that he was near Peru; but the Governor of Panama refused to let Almagro return, and instead sent an order for Pizarro and his party to come back, as he would no longer allow them to risk money and life in an undertaking that promised nothing but failure. It was three years since Pizarro had first sailed from Panama. Many of his men had died, while the rest had suffered cruelly from hunger and exposure, and when they heard that the governor had ordered them to return home they were very willing to do so, and were glad enough to give up the idea of conquering Peru. But Pizarro himself would not give up. He was angry and indignant that the governor should command him to give up his plan at the very moment that success seemed certain, and he said that he would stay in spite of the governor's orders. Then he drew a line in the sand and stepped across it, and said that all the men who were willing to stay with him and go on to Peru should step across the line, too. At first no one moved; the danger seemed so great and the thought of home so pleasant; but at last, Luiz, the pilot, who had always trusted in Pizarro's luck, stepped across the line, and others followed until thirteen were standing by Pizarro's side. They were few in number, but their hearts were brave, and the bold leader knew that their courage was equal to his own.

Then the rest of the company returned home to Panama, and Pizarro and his little band were left alone on the Island of Gallo without even a ship to take them on their journey. The island was not fit to stay upon, as it offered neither food, nor shelter from the frequent storms that burst over it, and Pizarro thought the better plan would be to leave it at once. So he gave orders for the men to build a raft, and in a few hours they had finished a large, strong one, upon which they placed their arms and stores, and then stepping cheerfully upon it themselves, pushed away from the island out into the sea. A few days' sailing in this way brought them to another island, larger and pleasanter than the Island of Gallo, and here Pizarro decided to land and wait for the arrival of the ships which he knew Almagro would send to his aid. The Indians were friendly, and the island was well watered with clear, running streams. The men built huts of logs and bark beside one of these pleasant streams, and for a time they were very comfortable. Wild cocoa-nuts, pheasants, and rabbits were abundant, and furnished strengthening food, and if the pleasant weather had continued they would have been quite content with their situation; but, after a few weeks, tempests began to blow over the island, beating down their huts and drenching the men to the skin. And even when it did not rain they suffered so much from the intense heat of the sun and from the swarms of mosquitoes and other poisonous insects, that they were almost in despair, when, after seven months of waiting, the ship that Almagro sent appeared in sight. The vessel brought provisions, but no soldiers, for those the governor refused to send, and so, without waiting for further help, Pizarro started with the ship and eleven of his brave companions, and with a fearless heart turned southward again.

In three weeks he reached the Gulf of Guayaquil which washes the sh.o.r.es of a lovely and fertile country, and pointing across the waters, the Indian interpreters that Pizarro had brought from the North, told him that there lay a part of the great empire of Peru, which he had so long been seeking. Here he found, the next morning, a large and prosperous town, very different from any he had yet seen on the South American coast. This town, the name of which was Tumbez, was within the Inca's dominions, and was therefore as fine and wealthy as many of those farther from the coast. Pizarro was surprised to see such magnificent temples and palaces, such fine houses and well-kept roads, and, above all, such intelligent and fine-looking people. They came flocking down to the sh.o.r.e to see the curious ship that the strangers had come in, and the Spaniards noticed that they wore garments of finely woven material, and were adorned with rings, bracelets, and chains of gold, and wore large and brilliant gems in their ears. Pizarro made friends with the Indians by means of his interpreters, and sent a message to the governor of the town, asking for provisions and for leave for one of his men to visit the town.

Both of these wishes were granted; the governor sent immediately a large store of bananas, pineapples, and other fruits, besides meats and fish, with permission to Pizarro to send one of his men to visit the town. The governor also sent one of the chief men to welcome the strangers, and thus Pizarro saw for the first time one of the n.o.bles of the empire he had come to conquer. He saw at once that these people were very different from the savages of the West Indies, or Atlantic coast, and that this courteous stranger, with his n.o.ble bearing and rich dress, belonged to a far higher race than the half-clothed Indians of Panama.

So he resolved to be as friendly as possible with these people, and not let them imagine for a moment that he had come on a hostile errand. He received the n.o.bleman very politely and invited him to dinner, and on his departure, gave him handsome presents. But the next morning, when the Spaniard Molino went on sh.o.r.e, Pizarro told him to notice carefully everything about the town, its size and wealth and means of defence, for he was more determined than ever to be called the Conqueror of Peru.

Molino was accompanied by a negro servant who carried some presents for the governor, and as the Indians had never seen a negro before, they looked at him very curiously, and tried to rub the black off with their fingers. And they also looked very curiously at the white man, for he was as strange to them as the negro; and they thought that the people from beyond the sea, with their white skin and fair hair, must belong to a great and wonderful race. Molino was well received by the governor, whom he found living in a fine mansion, guarded by soldiers in handsome uniforms, and attended by servants in livery, who served his meals upon golden dishes. Everywhere the Spaniard saw riches and prosperity, and his account of the splendid temples and palaces made Pizarro's heart beat high with hope. The next day he sent another Spaniard, Candia, to visit the town, and his report was as satisfactory as that of Molino.

Pizarro was satisfied that he had reached the empire of Peru at last, and taking a friendly farewell of the inhabitants of Tumbez, sailed along down the coast to see still more of this marvellous country.

Everywhere he landed he was delighted to find the country as rich and prosperous as at Tumbez, and at length turned his vessel homeward, well supplied with provisions for the voyage, and with a large quant.i.ty of gold and jewels, which he intended to show his friends in Panama in proof that he had really discovered the land of his dreams. Stopping at Tumbez again, he left Molino, and one or two more of his men there, and taking two of the inhabitants with him, sailed away, carrying the good wishes of the people with him, and with high hope of a speedy return.

But on his arrival at Panama he found the governor still unwilling to let another fleet be fitted out for the conquest of Peru, and Almagro, and Luque, and Pizarro, after talking it over, decided that the best thing to do would be to get permission of the king himself, and then the governor could not hinder them. So Pizarro sailed off to Spain, which he reached safely after a quick voyage, and as his name was now well known in Spain, the emperor sent for him to come to court, so that he might hear his adventures.

Spain was at that time the greatest country in the world; the emperor, Charles V., son of Ferdinand and Isabella, ruled over Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands; a Spanish adventurer had discovered the Pacific Ocean and added its sh.o.r.es and islands to the possessions of the mother country; Cortez had conquered Mexico and made it a Spanish province, and everywhere the Spanish name was renowned for wealth and power; and Pizarro, when he arrived at the court of Charles V., knew well that he would meet there some of the most famous soldiers and adventurers in the world, and he felt very proud of the honor done him, and rejoiced to think that in the future his own name would shine as brightly as those of the famous men he was about to meet. The emperor received him kindly and listened attentively while he told of his visit to Peru and described its wealthy cities and intelligent inhabitants; and when he added that the princ.i.p.al cities, which he had not seen, were even richer and finer than those near the coast, the emperor readily gave his consent to his returning there with ships and men and everything necessary for the conquest of such a great empire. And then Pizarro showed the king and his n.o.bles the chests of gold, and caskets of precious stones, and beautifully dyed and woven cloths, and the llamas and Indians he had brought with him, and they all exclaimed in wonder at the sight, and Cortez said that just such riches had he found in Mexico, and doubted not that this new land was as wealthy as the country of Montezuma. And so no time was lost in fitting out a fleet, and while this was being done Pizarro took the time to go to Truxillo and see his old home again. He found all the country people ready to welcome him and do him honor, for he was known throughout Spain as a bold soldier and adventurer, and he entered his old village with very different feelings from those he had when he ran away, barefoot and ragged, some thirty years before. The old castle was still there, and little peasant boys still watched the pigs out in the fields; but with him all was different.

His father and mother were dead, and his four younger brothers were very desirous of going to America with him and seeking their fortunes in that wonderful country; and as he consented to this they all went with him to Seville, where the fleet was being fitted out, and when the ships started across the Atlantic the bold commander knew that he had four men, at least, that he could trust to the end, and who would never desert him, no matter how hard his fortune might be.

Panama was reached without any mishap, and then all was bustle and confusion until ships and men were ready for the start. Three vessels were bought, and with about one hundred and eighty soldiers, some thirty horses, and a good supply of arms and ammunition, the little fleet was at last ready, and after a solemn religious service in the cathedral the company embarked, and Pizarro found himself at last on his way to conquer Peru.

It was in the winter of 1531, seven years since the time of his first voyage to the South; then he was ignorant of the country and its dangers, but now he knew the coast, years of experience had taught him how to overcome its dangers, and above all, he had friends in the inhabitants of Tumbez, who would welcome him gladly, and who were ready to believe that he was as great and powerful as he wished them to think.

It did not trouble him at all that he meant to repay their kindness and trust with treachery and murder.

In two weeks they came to a pleasant landing-place some distance north of Tumbez, and after sending the ships back to Panama they began marching southward. The way was often difficult, and they had to cross rivers and pa.s.s through swamps and thickets, but Pizarro always led them on, cheering his men and hoping for better things. On their way they pa.s.sed an Indian village, which they captured without resistance from the natives, who fled in dismay from the sight and sound of the guns; here they found a great many large emeralds, as well as much gold and silver, and a good store of corn and other food, and after plundering the village they went on with light hearts, cheered with the prospect of still greater wealth and good fortune in the near future. The character of the country now changed and they found themselves pa.s.sing through beautiful groves, and over roads bordered with trees bearing delicious fruits; and so they went pleasantly along until they reached the gulf of Quayaquil and saw once more the domes and towers of Tumbez. But now Pizarro did not come as a friend, but as a foe, and his only thought was to take possession of Tumbez and rob it of its wealth. There was a tribe of Indians living on the island of Puna, just opposite Tumbez, who were bitter enemies of the people of that city, and as soon as these Indians saw the arrival of the Spaniards on the other side of the bay, they sent a party over to ask Pizarro and his followers to come over to the island and stay with them. Pizarro knew that these people were unfriendly to those of Tumbez, and he thought it would be a good plan to make friends of them, so they would help him when he attacked the city; so he accepted the chief's offer, and in a little while the Indians had built some large rafts upon which the whole party was taken over to the island of Puna, whose chief stood on the sh.o.r.e to welcome them. Here they were given pleasant quarters and entertained with choice fruits and vegetables, and very glad indeed were they to have this chance of resting after their long and weary march.

But one day one of the Indian interpreters that Pizarro had brought with him came to him and said that the natives of the island were planning to attack him. This at once raised Pizarro's anger, and as several men that he sent around to spy upon the Indians came back and said that the story was true, he immediately ordered his men to fall upon the natives, and in a short time every village on the island was plundered by the Spaniards, and great numbers of the inhabitants slain. And then Pizarro decided to go at once to Tumbez; so he sent the rafts ahead loaded with booty, and getting as many boats as he could, embarked for the mainland.

But during all these days of fighting the people of Tumbez had made up their minds that the Spaniards had come back as foes instead of friends, and as soon as the rafts came to sh.o.r.e they seized the plunder and dragged the men to the woods and murdered them; then, in great alarm lest they should suffer worse things at the hands of the Spaniards than the natives of Puna had, they gathered together all the valuables they could carry and fled to the woods, and when Pizarro came to Tumbez he found its streets deserted, its treasures carried off, and many of its handsome buildings utterly destroyed. And so he was able to take possession of the city without losing a single man in battle, and when after a few days his scouts came in bringing the runaway chief with them, Pizarro decided to pardon the chief for killing the Spaniards who had been on the rafts, and to let him collect his people again and live peaceably in his city as before.

He did this because he intended to go at once to the capital of Peru, and he thought in case any disaster happened to his army it would be well to have the chief of Tumbez friendly to him. The chief was very glad to gather his people together again, and promised eternal friendship to Pizarro; and so one bright day the Spanish army marched out of Tumbez and took its way toward Cuzco.

Before leaving the coast, Pizarro had been joined by Hernando de Soto, the same bold cavalier who afterward spent so many weary years in trying to find on the sh.o.r.es of the Mississippi an empire as rich as Mexico or Peru, and as he had brought with him soldiers and horses, he promised to be of great use to Pizarro. Their way now led through pleasant valleys and thriving villages, and everywhere Pizarro found himself warmly greeted by the natives; often in the larger towns the governors entertained him with splendid banquets, and many times he lodged in the very palaces that were prepared for the Inca's visits. Pizarro made friends with all the Indians they met, as he thought it best to leave no enemy between him and the coast, and so they marched comfortably day after day, until they had nearly reached the lofty ranges of the Cordilleras. While stopping at one of the largest towns that they had yet seen, Pizarro heard that, some distance ahead, a large Peruvian army was collected. Fearing that he might be attacked if he went further, he sent De Soto on ahead to find out if the Inca meant to receive him as a friend. After many days De Soto returned to the camp accompanied by a Peruvian n.o.ble, a brother of the Inca, who came with a greeting from the emperor and some presents of fruits, corn, emeralds, and vases of gold and silver. The n.o.ble bearing of the messenger and his splendid costume and heavy ornaments of gold made a deep impression upon the mind of Pizarro, and he saw at once that in all his dealing with the Inca he would have to treat him with the respect due to his great rank and power; so he received the messenger very courteously, and expressed great pleasure at seeing a brother of the great Inca. The messenger said that the Inca had sent him to Pizarro to say that he welcomed the Spaniards to his land and invited them to visit him at his camp. Pizarro replied that he would surely visit the Inca, and after receiving a present of a red cap and some gla.s.s beads, the n.o.bleman went away. But Pizarro felt sure that the Inca had only sent him to find out how large the Spanish army was, and he listened a little nervously to De Soto's account of the cities he had seen, all well fortified, and able to hold out a long time against a besieging army. And then De Soto told of the riches and greatness of Cuzco, the capital, and said that an Indian n.o.ble had described to him its magnificent palaces and temples, whose walls were covered with gold and silver and precious stones; and at this Pizarro determined there was no time to be lost, and set out immediately for Caxamalca, where the Inca held his camp.

Caxamalca was built near a beautiful river that flowed through the valley below, and its great stone fortresses and lofty temples, its palaces and towers, its beautiful gardens and wide, well-paved streets, and its large public square with its fountains and flowers, all showed Pizarro, on his arrival there, that he had come into a land whose people knew well how to be comfortable in peace as well as to defend themselves in war. He at once marched his soldiers into the great square, where he pitched his tents as if resolved to stay. The Inca's army lay upon the slopes of the mountains three miles from Caxamalca, and there was great excitement and wonder among the troops, as Indians from the town came into camp describing the appearance of the Spanish soldiers. The Peruvians had indeed looked with surprise and awe upon these invaders, whose white faces and long, brown hair, and glittering armor, were so different from anything they had ever seen before. And the greatest wonder of all was the fact that many of these strangers rode upon curious animals that were eager to rush into battle, and that the riders guided often with a word or motion, showing that the creatures understood human speech. These were the horses that Pizarro had brought, and they were well calculated to inspire the Peruvians with terror, for as the cavalry charged fiercely in battle, the innocent natives thought that the horse and man all formed one animal; and once, when a man fell from his horse, the Indians ran screaming away, saying that the strange animal had broken all to pieces. Even when they had grown more accustomed to seeing them their fear did not lessen, for the intelligence of the horse and his power to understand his master's speech always seemed like something half-human to the Peruvians, who had never seen horses before. The arms of the Spaniards seemed very terrible too; the flash and smoke and noise of the guns seemed to them like something supernatural, like the lightning or thunder, and frightened them so that at the first sound they were ready to throw down their weapons and fly.

Pizarro knew all this very well, and the next morning after his arrival at Caxamalca, when he sent to the Inca's camp to ask if the Spaniards were welcome to Peru, the men he chose were De Soto, and his brother Hernando, and they both rode on powerful milk-white horses, and had with them an escort of forty hors.e.m.e.n, all clad in glittering armor and with brilliant trappings on their steeds. The party rode rapidly along, and as they came to the river that separated them from the Inca's camp, dashed boldly into the stream and came swiftly up to the line of Peruvian warriors that stood waiting to receive them and conduct them to the presence of the emperor. They found the monarch seated on a golden throne, surrounded by richly attired n.o.bles, and attended by the most beautiful women in the court. All the courtiers and attendants stood with bowed heads, for no one might raise his eyes in the presence of the Inca.

The Spaniards stood for some moments in silence, and then Hernando Pizarro told the Inca, through an interpreter, that he and his countrymen were the subjects of a mighty monarch across the sea, who had sent them to ask the Inca to be his friend. The Inca did not reply to this speech in person, but one of his n.o.bles came forward and said that the emperor bade them welcome, and the next day would visit the Spanish chief at Caxamalca. The Spaniards had to be content with this, as it soon became evident that the Peruvians had no intention of saying any more. De Soto now thought he would show the Inca some of the good qualities of his horse, for he well knew that the splendid animal had attracted his attention, so he wheeled his horse round and round and put him through many difficult exercises, the horse responding intelligently to all his commands, and finally brought him down close to the Inca's throne. The Peruvians were much impressed by these exercises, as was likewise the Inca, but no one showed it by word or manner; when De Soto had finished, the party of Spaniards were invited to a banquet, where they were served by beautiful women, who brought them fruits on golden dishes and drink in golden goblets studded with emeralds.

And then they went back to Caxamalca to report the result of their visit, and when the soldiers heard of the thousands and thousands of Peruvians who lay camping out on the mountain slopes, ready to defend the Inca and their country with their lives, and when they remembered that all over the great empire were other thousands willing to take the places of those who should fall, then, indeed, the conquest of Peru began to look like a very serious matter, and many a Spanish soldier wished himself back in Panama.

The next day the camp was astir at an early hour with preparations for the Inca's visit, for Pizarro had formed a very bold plan in the night, and all his soldiers knew it, and had pledged themselves to help him carry it out. He knew that there would be very little use in fighting pitched battles with the Peruvians, as there were thousands of them to every soldier he had, so he decided to overcome the enemy by the same trick that Cortez had used in conquering Mexico.

The Peruvians, like the Mexicans, held the person of their emperor sacred, and Pizarro knew that if he could get possession of the Inca, the Indians would be afraid of attacking him for fear of injuring their monarch. He would be safe as long as he held the Inca captive, for the Peruvians would understand that any harm done to him would be visited upon the Inca.

There was another reason, too, why this seemed a good plan. The Inca had a brother who was left part of the kingdom by his father's will, but Atahualpa, the present Inca, had dethroned his brother, Huascar, and now unlawfully held his dominions, and Pizarro knew that the imprisonment of Atahualpa would be the means of making Huascar his friend, and as Huascar was really the lawful king of a large part of Peru, and had many faithful and loving subjects among its people, it would be a good thing for the Spaniards to be able to count him among their friends.

It was on Sat.u.r.day, November 16, 1532, that this bold deed was to be done. Pizarro concealed his soldiers in different places and kept only his officers around him, in order to deceive Atahualpa the better, and when all was ready, and the watchword, "Santiago," was agreed upon as a signal, he waited impatiently for the appearance of the Inca. It almost seemed as if something warned the emperor to keep away from Caxamalca, for he kept putting off his visit from hour to hour, and even at one time sent word that he would not come till the next day; but Pizarro replied that he would not take his supper until his visitor came, and whether from fear of offending the Spaniards, or because he thought there was no use in putting off the visit, Atahualpa finally gave the order for the camp to move, and was soon on his way to the town.

He sat upon his golden throne, with his jewelled diadem upon his head, and with the royal standard, the rainbow-hued banner, carried before him. His litter was borne by the great n.o.bles, all richly dressed, and before the throne, and for a long distance behind, marched company after company of Peruvian soldiers. As they entered the great square of Caxamalca a Spanish monk came forward and saluted the emperor with great respect.

Atahualpa looked upon the fair faces and glittering armor of the Spanish soldiers, and then upon the white robes of the priest and the gilded cross he held in his hand, and turning to his attendants, said impressively: "These strangers are the messengers of the G.o.ds; be careful of offending them."

The priest now made a long speech, in which he told the Inca that the Pope, as head of the Christian church, had given the empire of Peru to the king of Spain, and that it was the will of G.o.d that the Peruvians should all become Christians and cease to worship the Sun.

The Inca listened to this speech very patiently and asked the interpreter where the priest had learned all that strange news. The priest answered that he had learned it all from the Bible he held in his hand. Atahualpa then took the Bible, and, after looking at it curiously, held it up to his ear as if expecting to learn its secrets in that manner; but as he heard nothing, he threw it angrily from him and exclaimed haughtily, "I am very willing to be a friend of the king of Spain, but not his va.s.sal; the Pope must be a very extraordinary man to give away a country that does not belong to him. I shall not change my religion, and if the Christians adore a G.o.d who died upon a cross, I worship the Sun, who never dies."