A. D. 1525. is marked with blood, and with deeds so atrocious as disgrace the enterprising valour that conducted them to success. In the country of Panuco, sixty cazipues, and four hundred nobles were burnt at one time; and to complete the horror of the scene, the children and relations of the wretched victims were assembled, and compelled to be spectators of their dying agonies. But we will not enlarge on facts which are disgraceful to human nature. The passions of jealousy were revived with still stronger force against Cortes at home, and Ponce de Leon was sent out to seize his person and send him prisoner to Spain. The sudden death of this man, within a few days after his arrival in New Spain, prevented the execution of this commission; and Cortes immediately set out for Castile, and in the presence of his sovereign vindicated his conduct very successfully. His arrival in Spain removed from the A. D. monarch every suspicion and fear that had 1528. been entertained with respect to his intentions. The sovereign presented him with the order of St. Jago, and the title of marquis del Valle de Guaxana, and a grant of an ample territory in New Spain. But amidst those external proofs of regard, symptoms of distrust appeared. Cortes returned to America, but in the remainder of his life nothing more is remarkable except the discovery of the peninsula of California. He returned to his native country. But his reception there was unworthy of his great merit. His antient exploits seemed to be already forgotten: the emperor behaved to him with cold civility; his ministers treated him, sometimes with neglect, sometimes with insolence. His grievances received no redress; his claims were urged without effect; and, 02 A. D. 1540. and, after several years spent in fruitless application to ministers and judges, he ended his days on the second of December in the sixty-second year A. L. of his age, His fate was the same with that of all the persons who distinguished 1547. themselves in the discovery or conquest of the New World: envied by his contemporaries, and ill requited by the court which he served, he has been admired and celebrated by succeeding ages. Which has formed the most just estimate of his character, an impartial consideration of his actions must determine. CHAP. CHAP. V. History of the Conquest of Peru by Pizarro, Almagro, and Luque. Their Character. Pizarro sets off from Panama. Arrives at Tumbez. Delighted with great Plenty of Gold and Silver. Explores the Country. Returns. Goes to Spain. Invades Peru' a second time. Seizes the Gold at Coaque. Meets with Resistance at Puna. Ertent of Peru. The Incas. Civil War in the Country. Atahualpa solicits Pizarro's Aid. Visits him, and is taken Prisoner. Offers a Ransom. The Bribe taken, but the Prince detained. The Spaniards share the Money, and basely murder Atahualpa. Peruvians attack the Spaniards. Almagro penetrates into Chili. Lays claim to Cuzco. Takes Ferdinand Pizarro Prisoner. Releases him. Is made Prisoner by Pizarro, and put to Death. Pizarro's Conduct and Death. Faca de Castro arrives. His wise and resolute Conduct. Is superseded by Gasca. His benevolent Plans and Disinterestedness. Returns to Spain universally honoured. Institutions and Manners of the Mexicans and Peruvians. The recent Origin of the Mexican Empire. gress of the Mexicans in Civilization. Religion. Peruvian Monarchy more ancient. Its Policy founded in Religion. State of Property among the Peruvians. Their public Works and Arts. Roads. Bridges. Buildings. Their unwarlike Spirit. The Pro Wtory ofliscoveries in this continent, and we E must now resume our chrological his A. D. find three names particularly celebrated: these are Francisco Pizarro, Diego de Al 1524. magra, and Hernando Luque. Pizarro was the natural son of a gentleman of an honourable family, by a very low woman: his education and prospects were so totally neglected, that when bordering on manhood he was in no higher employment then a keeper of hogs. But the aspiring mind of this young man suddenly abandoned his charge; he enlisted as a soldier, and, having served several years in Italy, embarked for America, where he very soon distinguished himself. Almagro had as little to boast of his descent as Pizarro. The one was a bastard, the other a foundling. Bred, like his companion, in the camp, he yielded not to him in the qualities of valour, activity, or insurmountable constancy in enduring the hardships inseparable from military service in the New World. In Almagro these virtues were accompanied with openness, generosity, and candour in Pizarro, they were united with the address, the craft, and the dissimulation of a politician. Hernando de Luque was an ecclesiastic, who acted both as a priest and schoolmaster at Panama, and had acquired riches that inspired him with thoughts of rising to greater eminence. Such were the men destined to overturn one of the most extensive empires on the face of the earth. Their confederacy for this purpose was authorised by Pedrarias, the governor of Panama. Each engaged to employ his whole fortune in the adventure. Pizarro, who was the least wealthy, offered to take the department of the greatest fatigue and danger, and to command in person the armament which was to go first upon the discovery. Almagro was to conduct the supplies of provisions, and and reinforcements of troops, of which Pizarro might stand in need; and Luke was to remain at Panama to negotiate with the governor, and superintend whatever was carrying on for the general interest. Luque celebrated mass, divided a consecrated host into three parts, and, reserving one for himself, gave the other two to his associates; of which they partook, and thus, in the name of the Prince of Peace, ratified a contract of which plunder, bloodshed, and every enormity were the objects. A. D. 1524. Pizarro set sail from Panama November the 14th, with a single ship and 112 men; and so little was he acquainted with the peculiarities of the climate, that he spent two years in sailing from Panama to the northern extremity of Peru, a voyage which is now frequently performed in a fortnight. He landed, and found that the wealth of the country was as great as he imagined; and that the resistance he was likely to meet in endeavouring to possess himself of it, would be full as considerable. At Tumbez, a place about three degrees south of the line, Pizarro and his companions feasted their eyes with the first view of the opulence and civilization of the Peruvian empire. This place was distinguished for its stately temple, and a palace of the incas or sovereigns of the country. But what chiefly attracted their notice was such a show of gold and silver, not only in the ornaments of their persons and temples, but in several vessels and utensils for common use, formed of those precious metals, as left no room to doubt that they abounded with profusion there. Having explored the country sufficiently to satisfy his own mind, Pizarro procured two of their llamas, or tame cattle, to which the Spaniards gave the name of sheep, |