2.
F
c
AMERI CAN
JUV E N IL E
f‘
L
B I O G R A P H Y.
,
V
T HE
LIV E S
C O R TE S,
HE RN AN D O
THE DI S COVERER OF
CON Q
BO
"O
ER R
S
B EN J A M IN
T
ICO,
PIZ A R R O,
F RA N C IS C O
THE
"
ME
O
OF
"
PER
.
N
H. G R E E N E .
1 840.
En t
ere d
a c c ord i n
,
g
t o Ac t
of
C o n gr e s s , in the< y e ar 1839,
B Y T .H . C A R T E R ,
i n the C l
erk
’
s
Offi c
e
of
" er
r
or
the D is t i ct C u t
M a s s a chus
r er
32 C o gre S tree t B o to .
id d
n
W r i g ht
of
ss
,
,
P in t
s
n
s.
e tt
s.
PR EFA T ORY N OT ICE.
I s this tr u e
is a
q ue stio n o fte n ask ed by a
ch ild after readi n g a st or y . P erhaps it is w ell
som eti m e s t o be able to an s w e r thi s qu estio n
i n the a ffi r m ative . If i t is possible to r elate
the history of re m ark able perso ns in s u ch a
m a n n er as to i nterest th e yo u n g s uch s torie s
m a y crea t e a b etter taste i n rea di n g t ha n tha t
w hich is fo rm ed by the c o n sta n t per u sal o f fi c
tio n w hi ch i s n o w e m ployed n o t o n l y in w ork s
i n ten ded for relaxati o n a n d a m u se m e n t but a s
a vehicle to i n c u lcate the deepest pri n ciple s of
philosophy a n d religio n . T his vol um e i s i n
te n d ed as a part o f a series of the lives o f
d is ti n gu is hed perso n s a dapted to the u n de r
st an di n g o f the y o u n g .
,
,
,
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,
,
,
,
T ABLE OF CON TEN T S .
LIFE OF H E RNA N DO C OR T E S .
C HA P T E R I .
Birth a n d Pare n tage o f C orte s —His ea rl y a d
ven t ure s —His first v oyage —His reside n c e
— His
i n C uba .— Q u arrels w it h the Gover n or .
H is re c o n ciliatio n w it h t he G o v
m arriag e
13
cr u or .
s
—
C HA PT E R II .
W ars with the N atives . —C orte s prep ares for
his firs t voyag e o f dis cove ry —A d ve n t ur e s
23
a t C o z um el .
C H A PT E R III .
—Lan ds .
hn de Ull ua .
C orte s r ea ches S t .JO
He rece i ves m esse n gers fro m M o n tez u m a
the S overeign of M exico .— M exica n m a n
— C ortes ex cha n
n er of co n veyi ng the m ail .
ges prese n t s w ith t he M exica n s —C orte s
fo u n d s a n ew t o wn .—
V isit s t he t o wn of
"
Z empoa lla .
,
33
C ON T EN TS .
C H A PT E R
IV .
C orte s visits an I n dia n to w n . —
Message fr om
the Z empo a lla n s .— C ortes se ts o ut fo r M ex
ico .— A dve n t u res on th e w a y to Tl asca lla .
F arther m essa g es fro m Mo n tez uma —C ortes
44
reache s Tl a s ca l la .
C H A PT E R V .
— Plots ;
T l a s ca ll a .
of the Mexi
ca n s to destroy the Span iard s —D escriptio n
of Chol ul a . C ortes proceeds o n hl S j o u r
—
5
ne .
5
E
n ters M exico .
y
D e s criptio n
of
-
i
C H A PTE R V I .
M o n tez um a —D escriptio n o f the city o f M ex
ico . C ortes se i zes M o n tez u m a .
67
-
C H A PT E R VII .
C ortes discovers the Treas u re Cha m ber . E x
—
.
a
u
a
l
o
oc
M o n tez u m a desires
of
u
t
i
on
ec
Q p p
C ortes to leave the co un try .
77
-
C H A PT E R VIII .
E leve n ships arriv e —A dve n t ure s w ith N arva
—Sp a n iards at t acked i n Mexic o . M o n
ez .
tez um a killed .
86
-
C
ON T EN T S .
CHA P TE R I
"
.
c o n ti nu e s —Tw o
yo u ths s trive t o ki l l C orte s — C ortes prepares
toleave the cit y —D epar tu re fro m the city .
The S pa n iards s uffer great los s — They
reach T l a s ca l l a .— M ore s hips arriv e —Plots
96
a gai n st C orte s .
Wa r
W ith
M exica n s
t he
‘
"
C H A PT E R .
C ortes fin ishe s a n d lau n che s hi s ships .— S eige
—G u ati m ozin t ake n p riso n er.
o f M exico .
S pa n iar d s e n te r M exico . —
C ortes ret ur n s to
Spai n .
1 06
"
0
C H A PT E R I.
N ew for m s o f Gover n m e n t i n Mexi co .—
C ortes
s
n . D eath of C orte s — His
oe
back
to
Spai
g
f a m ily a n d character .
1 15
-
LIFE
OF
FRAN C I SC O P IZA RR O .
CH A P T E R
I.
Birth an d Pare n tage of Pizarro .— His e arl y
adve n tu re s —His preparatio n s for his first
voyage — S ails fr o m Pa n a m a .— Pizarro goes
1 23
t o Spai n .
C
ONT EN TS .
C H A PT E R II.
—
R eaches Pe
S ails on his voyage of discovery
r u fo u n d s the to w n of S t .Micha eL— S tate o f
.
,
Per u w he n discovered by the Spa n iards .
The S pa n iards seize the P er u vian Pri n c e .1 34
C H A PT ER III .
—
n
Offers a n i mm e n se ra n so m
rie
of
I
c
t
h
e
a
G
f
f
—
—
l
m
M
s
r
t
A
l
agro
arrive
s
ock
trial
i
b
e
for hi l
y
1 47
a n d exec u tio n o f the I n ca .
C H A PT E R I V .
D ivisio n s am o n g the Per uvian s .—A l m agro
m ade G over n or o f Chili . Pizarro e n deavors t o
fi x the Gover n m e n t of his n e w e m pire .—The
Per uvian s attack the S pa n iards i n C u zco . 15 8
C H A P T E R V.
—
—
.
C
u
l
m
agro
re
a
ches
c
E
n
ters
the
cit
Bat
A
y
—A l m ag ro
tl e bet w ee n A l m agro a n d Pizarro .
ere d a n d take n priso n er . —
S tra n gled in
c o n qu
priso n .
1 71
CH A PT E R VI .
E xpeditio n of Go n zalo Pizarro a n d Ora l l a n a .
The s ufferi n gs of the m en e n gaged in it.—Al
m agro the y o un ger .—Plots agai n st Pizarro .
H e is killed in his o w n ho us e —E ve n ts a fter
the death o f Pizarro .
182
-
‘
,
LI F E
OF HE R NA N DO COR TES.
C H A PT ER I .
HE RNANDO C OR T E S w a s bor n in the to wn of
M edelli n i n S pai n i n the year 1 485. His pa
re n ts w ere n o t rich b ut they w ere ho n est a n d
l
n
ood
peop
e
a
n
d
b
elo
ge d to o n e of those fa m
g
i l i es l n Spai n w hich w a s co n sidered ho n orable
beca us e the first fo un ders of the m had bee n di s
t i n g u i s he d for riches or c o urage i h the w ars .
His m other w a s very religio u s b u t severe a n d
s trict ; his father is sai d t o h ave bee n very
charitable . I n hi s early life the father of C or
tes w a s a soldier a n d probably t he stories he
told his s on o f the battles w hi ch he h ad fou gh t
i n his yo u th gave him a taste for the li fe of a
soldier in w hich he after w ard becam e so cele
br a t e d . Whe n he w a s y o un g C ortes w a s sick
a great deal a n d at on e ti m e w a s s o very ill
that his frie n ds tho ught he w o u ld n ever get
w ell bu t fro m this diseas e he re c overed .
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14
L
IFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S.
Whe n he w a s fo urtee n years old his pare n ts
,
se n t hi m the U n i versity o f S a l a rn a n ca . Here
he appears to ha ve st udied d ilige n tly a n d m ade
a good u s e o f his ti m e as i n his a fter life he
w a s several ti m es e m ployed as a clerk . N o w
al m ost every lit tle boy a n d girl ca n lear n t o
read a n d w rite if they ple ase b u t it w a s n ot
so in the t i m e a n d the co u n try in w hich C orte s
lived . H e left the U n i versity w h e n he had
bee n there tw o y ear s . H is p are n ts w ere sor
r y for this for they t ho u ght he had great po w
ers of m i n d a n d they w ished him to s t u dy a n d
to be a l a w y er w hich w a s a n ho n orable pr ofes
sio n a n d on e b y w hich he m i g ht have gai n ed
a large fort u n e b u t he w a s n o t a very obedie n t
boy he tho u ght he k n e w better tha n hi s father
a n d m other w hat w a s best for hi m .
l e wa s
i
v ery fo n d of fighti n g a n d tho u ght he sho u ld
like to be a sol d ier .
A few years befo re this ti m e A m er i ca ha d
bee n discovered a n d people felt very c u rio u s
to j oi n the expeditio n s which w ere ofte n fitte d
o u t for the n e w w orld . I t is n o w o n der that
o n e s Orestless a n d bold as Cortes sho u ld have
w ished to j oi n so m e of these expeditio n s . He
co n cl uded to m ake this n ew voyage w ith Ova n
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LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
5
do w ho w a s abo u t fi tti n g ou t so m e ship s for
A m erica b u t w hile the vessels w ere prepari n g
his bold a n d careless dispositio n got hi m i n t o
a di ffic ulty . He w a s cli m bi n g a w a ll to pay a
visit in th e n igh t t o a l ady a n d by so m e acci
de n t he fell . H is fall m ade a great n oise
a n d a m a n w ho lived i n the ho u se heari n g the
dis t u rba n ce ca m e o u t a n d w a s abo ut to kill
him thi nki n g h e w a s a thief bu t he co nt rive d
to co n vi n ce the m a n that he did n o t c o m e there
t o do hi m a n y i nj ur y a n d w a s s uffered t o go
a w ay b u t the fall h u rt him so m uch th at he
’
w a s n o t able t o go t o sea in Ova n do s fle et
w he n he s aile d, a n d had ti m e to thi n k w hile h e
lay sl o wly recoveri ng on his bed that he had
bet ter be m ore carefu l i n fut ure an d avoid get
ti n g i n to s u ch scrapes .
A fter he got w ell he spe n t n early a year i n
travelli n g abo u t i n I taly ; there he w a s Ofte n
poor a n d exposed to great s u fferi n g . He at
last ret u rn ed ho m e t o h is pare n ts a n d told the m
he w a n te d very m u ch t o g o to A m erica . F i n d
i n g that he w a s n o t w illi n g to do w hat they
w ished him t o d o at ho m e they gave him leave
to go a n d pro vided him w i t h m o n ey for his
voyage .
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LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
16
‘
C ortes s ailed for A m erica in the year 1 50 4 .
He w a s at that ti m e n i n etee n y ears of a g e .
T he flee t in w hich he w e n t wa s co m posed of
fo u r ships co m m a n ded b y Alo n zo Q u in te z o .
They stopped at Go m era in the C a n ary I sla n ds .
Q u in tez o w a s a n artful m a n a n d w a n ted to get
to the n e w co un tries before his co m pa n io n s so
t o get gold
t hat he m ight have a better cha n ce .
so
a fter w hich every b ody w a s the n so eager
h e sailed fro m Go mera before the other vessels
o f the fleet . Bu t h is selfish n ess w a s p u n ishe d
for h e had n o t go n e far before he lost hi s m ast
a n d w a s obliged to go back ; there he fo un d
the other ships ready to sail a n d he w a s afraid
he sh o u ld be le ft behi n d . B ut his c o m pa n io n s
w ere m ore ki n d th a n he had bee n a n d co n se n t
e d t o w ait u n til he co u ld ge t his ship repaired .
They the n all set sail toge ther.
T he w i n d w a s fair a n d Qu in tez o agai n tried
t o get before his co m pa n io n s he s o o n lost sight
of t he other vessels bu t th e pilot w ho steered
the ship got be w ildered . The m en gre w di s
a n d tho u ght they sho u ld n ever see
cou ra g ed
the l a n d agai n . Bu t w hile they w ere so sor
r o w ful they s a w o n e d a y a pre tty little do ve
co m e a n d seat itsel f on the top of the m as t .
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ERNANDO C OR T E S .
LIF E OF
17
H
They tho ught they m us t be n ear the s hor e , a n d
w he n the d ove fle w a w ay they follo w ed his
co urse a n d s Oo n s a w the la n d . In fo ur d ays
they reached S t .D o m i n go a n d fo un d tha t the
other ships had alrea d y reached there . They
had gai n ed n othi n g by their selfish n ess in try
i n g to get before their co m pa n io n s a n d m u st
have felt asha m ed of th em selves w he n they
m e t thei r co m pa n io n s agai n after the y had
t w ice tried to ge t before t he m .
O va n do w a s go ver n or of S t . D o m i n go whe n
C ortes arri ved there . H e told C ortes ? he ha d
better stay in t hat place a n d o ffered to gi ve
hi m la n d that he m ight beco m e a far m er . B ut
this life see m ed too q u iet for C ortes he w a n te d
t o go a n d h u n t for gold that he m ight b eco m e
rich all at o n ce . O va n do w a s the n fighti n g
w ith th e I n dia n s a n d fi n d in g t hat C ortes did
n o t w a n t to be a far m er h e i n vited hi m to j oi n
him i n his ba t tles agai n st the p oor n ative s .
This pleased the te m per of C ortes better a n d
he j oi n ed the a r m y o f O va n do . Whe n the w a r
w a s over he recei ved so m e la n d a n d a n u m ber
of I n dia n s i n pay m e n t for his service a n d r e
A
r five or six years .
m ai n ed i n His pa n iola fo
part of thi s ti m e he held the o ffi ce o f n otary
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2
F
LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
18
cities . A n expeditio n w a s fitted
o u t d u ri n g this ti m e for Verag u a , a n d C orte s
W ished to j oi n it b u t he w a s pr eve n ted by sick
n es s . This w a s happy for hi m as t he perso n s
Who w e n t on that expeditio n were n ot s u ccess
ful a n d s u ffered a great deal .
A fter havi n g re m ai n e d in Hispa n iola so m e
ti m e he w e n t to the I sla n d of C uba which had
bee n co n qu ere d by the Spa n iards i n the year
1 5 1 1 . Here he held several O ffices . He w a s
clerk to the treas u rer a n d kept all the pub
lic acco un ts . He acqu ired co n siderable prop
er ty in la n d a n d i n I n dia n s . He e m plo y e d
hi m self in raisi n g c attle co ws sheep a n d ho r
ses he is sai d to h ave bee n the first perso n on
the isla n d w ho had a n y co n siderable flocks .
H e e m ployed his I n dia n s t o c ollect gold for
him . His riches i n creased rapi dly a n d he w a s
fo u n d to m a n age his o w n a ffairs so skilfully
that the gover n or of the i sl a n d who w a s n a m ed
V elas q uez e m ployed hi m i n the p ublic b u si n ess .
He d irec t ed the b u ildi n g of a ba n k a hospital
a n d other p u blic w orks .
A fter this so m e diffi c u ltie s arose bet w ee n
C ortes a n d Vel a s q uet he gover n or . He w a s
acc used of hav in g do n e s o m e wro n g thi n gs a n d
in
o n e o f t he
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LIFE OF H E RNANDO C OR T E S .
19
the go ver n or believed that he had do n e the m
H e therefore seized C ortes a n d p ut hi m i n t o
priso n . C orte s k n e w that there w ere p e ople
w ho w o u ld tell lies ab o u t hi m if he ca m e to
be pu t o n his trial a n d so he tried to escape
fro m hi s priso n . H e s u cceeded i n getti n g his
feet o u t of the stocks i n w hich they w e re con
’
fi n e d t ook the keeper s s w ord fro m him a n d
escaped thro u gh the W i n do w of his priso n .
In those days w he n the la w s w ere n o t ver y
w el l o rdered people w ere m u ch m ore expose d
to the viole n t pass i o n s of other m en than they
are n o w . S o it w a s the c u s to m t o have the
ch u rches c o ns idered as safe places or places of
sa n ct u ary as they w ere c alle d . I f a n y on e
w a s pu rs ued a n d co u ld s ucceed in re achi n g a
c h u rch a n d e n ter i t he w a s safe fro m his e n e
m y be he high or l o w . S o C orte s whe n he
got ou t of pri so n w e n t to a ch urch a n d t ook
sa n ct u ary there a n d the gover n or w a s n o t able
t o t ake him a w ay . I t w a s w ell that i n s u ch
r u de days w he n there w a s s o li ttle l a w a n d
people care d so little fo r w hat there w a s that
the y had so m u ch fear of God as to respect
his t em ple a n d n ot allo w their viol en t passio n s
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20
OF H E RNANDO C OR T E S .
‘
LTFE
q ua rrel s t o e n ter i n t o on e devote d to his
Ser v ice .
The govern or wa s very a n g r y w ith th e j ail
or w he n he fo u n d that C ortes had m ade his
escape . H e w atche d C ort es i n the hOpe that
he m ight at s o m e ti m e s tep ou t of the ch u rch
a n d the n the gover n or w o u ld h ave ca u sed hi m
to be sei zed . B ut C ortes w a s very c arefu l for
so m e ti m e a n d kept o u t of the w a y . A t last
i t s o happe n ed that he stepped for a m o m e n t
before the ch urch door the govern or i m m e d iate
l y c a u sed him to be seized carried o n board
ship a n d for greater sec u rity he w a s pu t i n
the lo w er p art of the vessel . Poor C ortes w a s
m u ch disco u raged at this he th o u ght he sho u ld
be Se n t to S t .D o m i n go or perhaps to Spai n
a n d w ith a n e n e m y s o po w erful as the gover n
or he w a s afraid he sho u ld have a bad ti m e of
i t . H e trie d w i th all his m ight to get loose
fro m his priso n a n d at last s u cceeded i n reach
i n g the u pper part of the ship . Here he per
s u a d e d a lad t o excha n ge clothes w ith him a n d
m ade his esc ape fro m the ship w itho u t bei n g
he a r d .he took possessio n of the boat w hich b e
lo n ged to the ship i n w hich he had bee n con
fi n ed a n d i n order t o preve n t the m en fro m fo l
an
d
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LIFE
H E RNANDO C OR T E S .
OF
ties a n d sh oul d like to h ave C orte s j oi n him i n
fighti n g the I n dia n s . To th is C ortez ret ur n ed
the gover n or n o a n s w er .
A bo u t t his ti m e he m arried a l a dy n a m e d
C atali n a u arez she w a s a n ative of Spai n
a n d had v i s i te d the n ew w orld i n co m p a n y w ith
the w ife of D iego C ol um b u s w he n that lady
ca m e o u t t o S t .D o m i n go as Vice Q uee n .
Velasq u ez the g o ve rn Or havi n g m ade hi m
self r e ad v set o u t to figh t the I n d i a n s . A fter
he w a s go n e C ortes d esir e d his broth er in l a w
t o m eet him w i tho u t the to w n a n d bri n g w i th
hi m his la n ce a n d cross b o w . Havi n g ar m e d
h i m self he follow ed the path w hich the gov er n
or had tak e n a n d r ea Che d after dark a farm
w here Velasq uez w a s stoppi n g w ith his ser
v a n ts to pass the n ight his ar m
b
ei
n g e n ca m p
y
ed i n a village at a sh ort dista n ce . He k n ock
e d a t the doo r a n d w he n I t w a s ope n ed he said
h ere is Her n a n do C ortes w ho w o u ld speak to
the gover n or . The go v er n or w a s n o t a little
frighte n e d at seei n g hi m a rm ed a t thi s late ho u r
h e also felt probably that he ha d i nj u red C ort e s .
He spoke civilly t o his visitor h o w ever a n d
desired hi m to co m e in a n d rest hi m se lf. C or
tes told him he had co m e to see what fa ult the
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LIFE OF
ERNANDO
H
C
OR T ES .
23
i
gover n or had to fl n g , w ith him. H e sai d that
if a n y o n e had told the govern or he w a s his
e n e m y they had s ai d w hat w a s n ot tr u e for
that he was his frie n d a n d d u tifu l serva n t .
The govern or the n e m braced hi m a n d they
We re so reco n ciled as both to lie do w n to rest
o n the
sa m e bed ; a n d w he n the m esse n gers
cam e to tell Velasqu ez tha t C ortes had m a de
his escape they w ere very m u ch asto n ished to
see the m s u ch good frie n ds .
,
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"
CH A PT E R
I I.
C OR T E S w e n t w ith the gover n o r to the wa r s
t to his far m
a n d w he n they w ere o ver he w e n
a n d took care o f hi s sheep a n d the m i n es of
gold w hich had bec o m e his propert y . B ut
eve n in this q u iet ho m e he c o u ld n o t keep ou t
of da n ger for a s he w a s o n e n ight retu r n i n g in
a can oe fro m a V i sit he ha d bee n m aki n g to a
dista n t m i n e his ca n oe u pset ; he wa s half a
leag u e fro m the s hore a n d it w a s very dark
b u t he s wa m very sto u tly bei n g cheered by a
li ght which he espi ed on t he sea shore .
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LIFE
E RNANDO C OR T E S.
H
OF
A t last he reach ed the la n d a n d fo un d a p arty
o f his o w n shepherds w ho w ere te n di n g th eir
flocks a n d eati n g the i r s upper . An d here he
w a s able t o rest a n d refresh h im self.
Velas q u ez havi n g fi n ished his w a r w ith the
I n dian s w a s very desiro u s t o se n d a n expedi
tio n of discovery to th e m ai n lan d of A m erica
the w o nders of w hich had reached him ; H e
fitted o u t a n expeditio n u n der th e co m m a n d of
a fello w co u n trym an n am ed Grij alva . He
se n t w ith him fo u r h un dred men in fo u r ships .
They reached Y u catan . The I n dian s there
w er e n ot frie n dly bu t attacked the party u n der
Grij alva a n d he s u ffered so m e har m i n the
Co n test . F ro m there h e W e n t to S t .Joh n de
Ul u a a n d to ok possessi o n of the co u n try fOr the
ki n g . Here he trade d with the I n dia n s a n d
c ollected a great deal of gold . He also m ade
cer tai n tha t this w as a par t of a c o n ti n e n t a n d
n o t a n isla n d . Hi s i rien w ished m u ch that h e
sho u ld stay a n d fo un d a colo n y in that plac e
b u t he refused to do so tho u gh the co un try w a s
very rich a n d they fo un d gold in great a bu n d
a n ce . He ret ur n ed to C ub a bri n gi n g w ith
hi m a great q ua n tity of gold a n d m uch c u rio u s
l y wro ught feat er work , a n d o th er I n dian or
h
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LIFE OF H ERNAN DO C OR T E S .
5
he had got fro m the I n dia n s in
excha n ge for so m e artic les Of trifli n g val u e .
Th e gover n or w a s m u ch displeased w ith him
that he had n o t stayed to fo u n d a colo n y in a
spot w hich see m ed to pro m i se so m u ch .
Before Grij alva had got back the govern or
had do n e so m ethi n g t o w ard fitti n g o u t a n other
expeditio n . He loved his m o n ey very m u ch
o t W i sh to spe n d his o w n w ealth i n
a n d did n
fitti n g o u t the exped itio n b ut he w a nted t o have
so m e ships se n t p artly to fi n d o u t what had
beco m e of Gr ij alva . He talked w ith several
o f the people of the I sla n d of C u ba abo u t it
a n d a m o n g o ther s w ith C ortes
w ho had con
s i d era b l e m o n ey .
C ortes liked the plan o f
se n di n g o ut ships a n d w a s w illi n g t o b ear a
large part Of t he expe n se . Preparatio n s w ere
m ade a n d C ortes w a s appoi n ted co m m a n der
for the voyage . He spe n t m o n ey a n d s u per
i n te n ded the fitti n g o u t the ships bu t be fore
t hey w ere ready to sail Grij alva ret u r n ed fro m
his voyage .
Whe n the gover n or s a w the fin e t hi n gs he
had bro u ght h o m e a n d heard the acco u n t give n
by him a n d his m en of the r i ch co u n tries the y
had vis i tedyhe wa s sorry th at h e had o ffered to
n a m en t s ,
w hich
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3
26
LIFE OF
HE RNA ND O CORTEs.
else
a
share
i
n the adva n t a g es O f a no
y
ther voyage . H e w o ul d h a v e lik ed b e tt e r t o
have k ep t all t he p r ofit s Of the co n c er n in his
o w n h a n ds .
He k n e w that C o r tes w a s a m an
of a ver y po w e rful c ha r a ct er a n d he th o u ght
he co u ld n o t m a n a ge him so w ell as he co uld
G r ij a lv a w ho w a s his relatio n a n d also a w eak
m a n a n d who m he n o w propos e d to se n d
b a ck to the pla ce fro m w hich he had fir s t c o m e .
He d e t e rm i ne d the r e fore to do a ll he co uld t o
pr eve n t C ortes fro m goi n g o n w i th the v o ya ge
w hich h e w a s pla n n i n g. A s h e w a s gover n or
of t he isla n d he ha d i t i n his po w er to do a
great d eal to hi n der C ortes fro m m aki n g th e
n eces s ary prepa r a tio n s .
He w a s n o t a ble to
e t i n the isla n d of C uba a s u ffic i e n t s u pply o f
g
provisio n s fo r his ships . H e therefore l e ft that
i sla n d w ith hi s fi ve ships . He se n t o n e of hi s
ves s e l s to Ja m a ica for a fa rther s u ppl y a n d.
stopp e d hi m s el f a t the m ost w ester n poin t o f
th a t i s la n d . He s u c ceeded i n obt a i n i n g co n s i d
the n e ighb ori n g isla n d s
e r a b l e s u ppli e s fro m
he also m e t w ith a ship l oaded w ith provi sio n s .
w hi ch w a s o n its w a y to the m i n es w it h the
i n te n tio n of selli n g its freight . C ortes pu r
c hased this cargo Of the captai n w hic h helped
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LIFE
H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
OF
fitti ng o u t hi s s hips . Before he
sail e d ho w ever ships ca m e o u t fr o m th e g o v
e r n o r orderi n g h i m n o t t o sail a n d a t the s a m e
ti m e , sec r e t order s w ere s e n t to s e ize C ort e s
s o g r e a t w a s the j e alo u sy whi ch V e la s u e z ha d
q
of hi m . B u t C orte s took care n o t to fall agai n
i n to the ha n ds of t hi s a r tfu l m a n . He ha s tily
left Cape C or ie n te s a n d sailed to S a n A n tho
n io .
Here he too k a n a cc o u n t of h is m e n a n d
arra n ge d the m in order u n der their sever a l
co m m a n d ers . He h ad 5 5 0 Spa n iard s ; 5 0 of
w ho m w ere m a ri n ers — 2 5
30 I n dia n s to carry
b u rde n s . A goo d store o fho r s es o f pr o vi s io n s
and an
a m ple s upply of tri n kets to be mad e
u s e of i n tradi n g w i th the n ati ve s .
The A d m iral ship w a s of 1 0 0 to n s . the oth
ers of 80 to n s b urthe n . The fl a g O f C orte s
w a s fla mes of fire on a gro u n d of w hite a n d
bl u e w ith a red cr o ss i n the m idst . B ei n g
re ad y t o dep a rt on hi s expediti o n C orte s m ade
a speech t o his m e n c heeri n g th e m a n d set
ti ng before the m the glori o u s h opes he e n t er
te
r ta i n e d ; they w e re m u ch a n i m a ted by hi s
w ords a n d th e fl ee t fi n ally sail e d o n the 1 9 th
hi m m u ch i n
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of
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F ebr u a ry 1 5 1 9 .
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He g a v e d i rect i o n s that all the ships sho uld
LIFE OF H ERNAN D O C OR T E S .
28
follo w that of the A d m iral w hich w a s al ways
t o be fu r n ished with a light . The first n i gh t
after they sailed o n e of those viole n t stor m s
arose w h ich prevail so m u ch i n those regi o n s .
The shi ps w ere separated fro m each other o n e
O f the m losi n g a r u dder .
The gale l a s te d for
tw o days b u t they a t last all reached safely the
islan d of C oz um el w ith the exceptio n of on e
vessel .
The n ati ves w ere m uch alar m ed at the a p
proach of this large flee t . They left their vil
lages a n d retreated t o th e m o u n tai n s . Whe n
the Spa n iards la n ded they fo u n d a village of
h o u ses b u ilt of m aso n w ork a high to wer o n
t he s ea side idols of earth a n d sto n e fields
pla n ted w ith m aize hi ve sw nf bees b u t n o i n
h abi t a n ts . They fo un d tha n y o rn a m e n ts of
gold w hich they carried back a n d sho w ed to
their co m m a n der .
C ortes w a s m u ch pl eased w ith the richn es s
of the or n a m e n ts w hich his m e n bro ught back
a n d w it h the acco u n t they gave of the good
appeara n ce O f the I sla n d . He co n cl u ded to
take his horses o u t of the ships that they m ight
be refreshed by feedi n g u po n th e grass a n d
that his m en m i ght also m ake us e of the m to
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30
LIFE OF
ERNANDO C OR T E S .
H
t e m ple wa s b uilt like a square to w er broa d at
the foot with s teps lea d i n g u p to it . F ro m the
m iddle u p wards very straight the top w a s h ol
l o w an d c overed w ith stra w . In the hollo w
place w a s the chapel w here the idols stood .
They w ere w illi n g t o liste n to the advice o f
C ortes a n d w e n t w ith hi m to this te m ple a n d
thre w do wn th e idols a n d he ca u s ed to be cel
e b r a te d the w orship O f the tr u e God in
the
pl ace . They also pro m i sed t o leave Off s a crifi
c i n g m en i n th eir religio u s services w hich the
y
h ad before bee n acc usto m ed to do .
While they w ere at C oz u m el the I n dia n s
told the m that at Y u catan there w ere 4 or 5
bearded m en lik e the S pa n i ards . C ortes w ish
ed m u ch to fi n d o ut w ho they w ere a n d reliev e
the m fro m the tro ubles t o w hich the y w ere
probably exposed he also tho ught it w o uld be
very u sefu l to hi m if he c o u ld get t he m to a s
sist him as i n terpreters . He therefore w rot e
a l etter telli n g w ho he w a s a n d desiri n g these
pe ople to co m e to him he se n t o n e of his ships
to the coast O f Y u cata n . Here they e n gaged
t w o I n dians to carry the letter i n to the i n terior
w here they s u pposed the m e n w ere livi n g .
F ear i n g that this letter m ight be t ak e n fro m
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LIFE OF H E RNANDO C OR T E S .
31
the In dia n s they c o n trived t o co n ceal i t i n their
hair w hich they w ore l o n g .
The ship w aite d eight d ays for the I n d ia n s
a n d t hey did n o t ret u r n .
They the n s uppos
i n g that he y ha d bee n ta k e n p riso n ers or that
y
th e whit em e n co u ld n ot ret u r n w ith the m left
that shor e a n d re t ur n ed to C ortes .
The fl ee t n ow left the isla n d of C oz um el .
The chief a n d hi s s u bj ects sho w e d great grief
at their departu re . F ro m the n c e they sailed
’
to the C ape c alle d Wo m e n s C ape . Here o n e
of the vessels beca m e leaky a n d they tho ught
i t bes t to ret u r n w i th th e fleet to Coz u m el .
Th e In d ia n s w e re glad to see the m a n d assist
e d the m t o repair the leaky vessel w hich w a s
s oo n m e n ded .
T hey prepare d to leave agai n
the i sla n d bu t w ere preve n ted by the viole n ce
o f th e w i n d .
On S un day the w eather w a s favorable b u t
C ortes cho se to re m ai n a n d have divi n e ser
vice perfor m ed ou board his ship . I t w a s w ell
t hat they had bee n detai n ed fo r w hile they
w ere e n gaged i n their w orship a ca no e a p
erso n s
p r oa che d . Th i s prove d to have fo u r p
o n board
three I n di an s a n d o n e E u ropean .
He h a il ed the Ships , i n the S p an i sh lan guage .
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LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
32
d
fi n di n g that he received a n a n s w er i n his
n ative to n g u e he fel l do w n o n h is k n ees a n d
t ha n k e d G o d tha t he agai n heard that pl ea s a n t
s o u n d . He w a s a Span i a rd n a m ed A g u il a r
w ho had bee n at D a r ie n u n der t he c o m m a n d
of N icu e s s a a n d h ad b e e n s en t by him to S t .
D o m i n go to car ry i n t ellige n ce . The ship i n
w hich he e m barked w a s l o s t . He w ith seve
ral co m pa n i o n s e n t e red the boat . They ha d
r e ache d a n I n di a n settle m e n t . S o m e ha d di e d
O f fatig u e . o thers ha d bee n sacrificed by the
I n dia n s he a n d th r e e others w e re k ept i n a
cage to be m a d e fa t for a s a c ri fi ce b u t ha d es
cap ed a n d he w i th o n e o ther ha d reach e d
s o m e n a tiv e s w ho ha d t re a ted th e m ki n dl y .
His c o m pa nio n w a s m a r r i ed a n d ha d a d opt e d
the I n d i a n fashio n O f bor i n g his ea r s a n d n o s e
a n d decorati n g hi m self s o that he w a s asha m
e d to sho w hi m self t o C ortes ; b ut A g u ilar had
m ade w hat ha s te he co u ld a n d w a s n o w over
j oyed to m e e t his c o u n trym en w ho w ere als o
w ell pl ea s e d to have hi m w ith t he m .
T hey n o w l eft C oz u m el a n d sailed t o th e
river Tab a sco w h ere they a n cho r ed . C orte s
held s o m e co m m u n icatio n s w ith the I n dia n s
they w ere u n willi n g to fu r n i s h s uppli es i n a s
an
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LIFE
OF
H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
great qu a n tity as they desired a n d also refu sed
t o allo w the m to la n d . C ortes h o w ever w e n t
o n shore
a n d had a battle w ith the I n dia n s
a n d co n q u e red the m he took possessio n of the
c o u n try for the ki n g of Spai n .
He broke do w n
the idols a n d set u p the S ign of the cross .
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C HA PT E R III .
fro m Tabasco he reache d S t .Joh n
de Ul ua w here he a n chored . A boat ca m e o u t
to the ships . The m en o n bOa r d said the y
w ere se n t by the gover n or Ta tili t o see w hat
they w a n ted w ho they w ere a n d how lo n g
they w ere goi n g t o stay . Their lan g u age w a s
n o t exactly like that w hich A g u ilar had heard
a m o n g t he I n dia n s a n d he did n ot perfec tly
u n de rst a n d the m .
C ortes e n tertai n ed the m e s
a n d gave the m
s e n g er s ki n dly feasted the m
w i n e . He t old the m he sho ul d la n d t he n ext
day . They de sired t o take so m e of the food
th ey had eate n a n d the w i n e they had ta s ted
to S ho w to the gover n or .
The n ext day C ortes bro ught his horses a n d
S AILI N G
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34
LIFE
H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
OF
ca n n o n to th e l a n d . He pitch e d his te n t a n d
h is m e n b ui l t the m s elve s cott a ges w ith the
bo ughs of t r e e s
The I n di a n s c a m e to s e e
the m a n d b ro ught the m bread m eat dr e ssed
after th e ir fa s hio n a n d g ol d orn a m e n t s in great
ab u n da n ce
C ortes ord er ed his m en n o t to
see m t o w a n t the gol d m o r e tha n a n y t hi n g
else beca u se h e did n o t w i s h the I n d ia n s to
thi n k th a t they had co m e o n p u rpose to g et
gold .
S o o n aft er their la n d i n g T a tili the gover n
or cam e fro m hi s ho m e w hich w a s eight
l eag u es dista n t to visit the Spa n iards . H e
b ro u ght w ith hi m a great n u m ber of follo w ers .
They w ere for th e m ost part clothed in cott on
m
ar
e
ts
ade
rich
aft
n
m
e r the I n d ia n fashio n .
g
S o m e of his m en w ere n aked . They bro u ght
a great s u ppl y O f food . He sal uted C ortes i n
a very stra n ge m a n n er . He b u r n ed before him
a ki n d O f i n ce n s e or s w eet s m ell in g g u m a n d
he o ffe r ed t o h i mlittle st ra w s the e n d s o f w hich
h a d b e e n dipped i n bl o o d dr a w n fr o m hi s o w n
body . He p r es e n t ed C or te s w ith go l d a n d j e w
els of gol d very richly w r o u ght a n d oth e r p re
se n ts m ade very c ur io usly o f fe athers . C o r te s
e mbraced him ki n dly a n d sal uted all his fol
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I
L FE OF
H ERNANDO C ORT ES.
He g a ve T a tili a c oat of silk a b re a ch
a n d a c olla r O f gla s s w ith m a n y ot he r a rt icl e s
of E u r opea n fa s hi on w it h whic h the g ove r n o r
l oa ers .
f
,
,
f
—
,
“
,
w a s hig hl y pl e a s e d .
'
Before C ortes left the co u n try n ea r the riv er
Tabasco he received fro m the chief of th a t r e
gio n a prese n t o f t we n ty w o m e n as slav es .
Am o n g the m w a s o n e w ho had b e e n take n
w he n she w a s a little girl fro m the c d un try n e ar
which C ortes had n o w arriv ed . S he u n der
s t ood the la n gu age of th ese I n dia n s a n d C ort es
promised her her liberty a n d great privilege s
if she w o u ld a ct a s his i n terpret er ; this s he
c o n se n ted t o do . She w a s christe n ed by t he
n a m e of M ari n a a n d proved to be very u s eful
to C ortes .
T u til i di ned w ith C o rte s a n d w it n es s ed the
w orship of the tr u e God . C ortes t old him
w hat a great m o n arch t he e m peror of Spai n
w a s a n d th at he ha d s e n t hi m o u t to visi t hi s
m ast er M o n tez u m a a n d bri n g hi m a m essag e.
T a tili said he ha d al wa y s tho u ght that ther e
w a s n o m o n arch i n th e world so m ighty as hi s
He pro m ise d to tell
e w n m a ster M o n te zum a .
his m as ter abo u t the e m peror of Spai n a n d
tha t C ortes w a s hi s m esse n ger a n d w ished to
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d
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LIFE OF H ER N AND O C OR T E S .
6
visit M o n tez um a . C ortes ord ered his m en o ut
i n bat tle array ; he m ade the m u sic ia n s play
the g u n s fi re a n d paraded the horses before the
I n d ia n s . They w ere m u ch asto n i shed . Whe n
the ca n n o n fired they fe l l on the ir faces thi n k
i n g that the heave n s w ere falli ng .
T u til i se n t a n acco u n t to M o n tez u m a of every
th i n g he s a w . They had a very c urio u s a n d
qu ick w a y of se n d i n g the n e w s al m ost a s g oo d
as the p ost offi ce s w e have n o w . S o m e In
dia n s u n der the directio n of T a tili pai n ted the
w hole s ce n e of the Spa n i sh c a m p the horses
the c a n n o n the n u m ber of m en & c . on pieces
of c otto n w ith very brigh t pai n ts . These w ere
i
n to the ha n ds of the I n dia n s w ho carrie d
t
u
p
the m a certai n dista n ce here they m e t others
w h o took the m to a n other stoppi n g place ex
”
n a ge n o w w ith se n di n g the
as
they
a
m
a ct l
y
m ail excep t tha t they had n o horses . This
w a s arra n ged so w ell th at the n e w s reached
Mexico w here Mo n tez um a li ved a n d which
w a s dista n t tw o h u n dred a n d t e n m iles fro m
the Spa n ish ca m p in o n e day a n d o n e n ight .
T a tili advised M o n tez u m a to se n d as m u ch
gold as he co u ld to the Spa n iards for C ortes
had told him that he a n d hi s co mpan io n s had
,
,
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'
,
-
-
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,
“
,
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,
“
,
,
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,
38
LIFE OF
HERNA NDO CO RTES.
lo n g a n d m o u n tai n o u s that the in"
habita n ts of so m e of the co u n tries thro u gh
w hich he m u st pass w ere e n e m ies to M o n te
Z u m a a n d m ight h urt C o rtes whe n they fo u n d
he w a s the frie n d of the lord of M exico .
C o rtes r eplied t o T u t il i who bro u ght him
this m essa ge w he n the post re t urn ed that he
m u st c e rtai n ly g o to M e xico to deli ver the m es
sage of his m aster the em pero r t o M o n tez u m a .
He said that as the Spa n iar d s had c o m e two
tho u sa n d leag u es by w ater th ey w ere n o t
afr aid to go seve n ty le a gu e s by la n d .
T u t il i p ro m ised to se n d this an s wer to hi s
m aster he also told him t hat he a n d his m e n
sho u ld be s u pplied with a l l they wa n ted w hil e
they re m ai n ed in the co u n try .
C ortes recei ved a visi t fro m so m e I n d ian s o f
’
the to w n of Z em p Oa ll a w hich w a s abo u t a days
j o u r n ey fr om the Spa n ish ca m p . They said
their lord ha d se n t the m to e n q u ire w ho the s e
C orte s observed that the y
n e w co m ers w ere .
did n o t s peak to the I n dia n s w ho had bee n left
by T a tili a n d that they w ere dressed in a dif
fere a t m a n n er a n d ha d their ears a n d n ose s
bored . C ortes sh o w e d th e m his ca m p . M a
ri n a on c o n versi n g with the m fo u n d they w er e
wa y w a s
,
,
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,
,
,
,
f
,
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,
LI FE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
39
vassals of M o n tez um a . They said that
M o n tez u m a tried t o be lord over the w hole
co u n try a n d c o m pelled other tri be s t o pay tr i
b u te to hi m . Their lord wa s o n e of these other
t ribes . T hey had several ti m es fo u ght battles
w i th M o n tez u m a a n d tried to gai n their free
d o m fro m this trib u te b u t they had bee n co n
q u ered by M o n tez um a a n d fo un d the m selve s
w orse Off tha n before . C ortes w a s glad to
hear that the n ati ves w ere divided a m o n g the m
selves as he hoped t o be able to c o n qu er the
co un try m ore easily as t he t ribes w ere at w a r
”
w ith each other . A fter ten days T u til i re t u r n
ed . He bro u ght a n other val u able pre se n t fro m
M o n tez um a . Tha t pri n ce des i red C ortes to
leave t he c o u n try as soon as he c o u ld . He
told him if there w a s a n y thi n g he w ished
eith er for his m en or his ships that it shou l d
be fur n i shed to hi m . C ortes replie d that he
sho u ld n o t leave the co u n try u n til he had se e n
M o n tez um a . T u t i l i disp u ted n o m ore w ith
him abo u t the m atter b u t l e ft him a n d the n ext
day the people w ho had b ee n left t o provide
provisio n s for the S pa n iards all we n t a w ay
otta ges w ere re m oved .
an d the C
Corte s res olv ed to fix hi m s elf so m ewhe re in
n ot
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LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
40
i
thi s n eighborhood He Wa s deter m i n ed to con
q u er the co un try a n d he wa s e n co u raged to
thi n k this w o uld be possible whe n he fo u n d
that the I n dia n s w ere divided a g a in s t e a ch Other
of the m tho u gh t M o n tez u m a
a n d that m a n y
had oppressed the m a n d w o u ld be glad to help
C ortes fight agai n s t hi m .
They explored the co un try t o fi n d a good
place for a to w n a n d havi n g fixe d u po n w hat
C ortes tho u gh t w o u ld be a goo d place he r e
t u r n ed to his ships to u n load the m a n d m ake
preparati o n s for b u ildi n g the to w n . C ortes
the n m a d e a n address t o h i s m en . He told
the m he ha d fo un d a g o o d place to establish a
city a n d that t hey m u st have s u itable O fficers
to gover n it . He the n a ppo m ted s u ch O fficers
as w ere u s u al i n S pa n ish to w n s at that ti m e
He proposed that they sho u ld se n d w ord t o the
e m pero r Charles V . w ho w a s the n ki n g of
Spai n w hat they h ad do n e a n d a l s o s en d hi m
s o m e s peci m e n s of the gold a n d other thi n g s
they had obtai n ed fro m the M exica n s .
He the n told the m he sho uld give u p the
po w er he had received fro m the g over n or o f
C uba a n d act like o n e of the citize n s of the
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LIF E OF H ERNANDO
OR T E S .
41
C
to wn a n d obey the la w s w hi ch the n ew
o fficers sho u ld m ake .
The first thi n g the o ffi cers of the n e w to w n
did w a s to choose C ort e s C apt ai n Ge n eral a n d
Chief J u stice a n d gi ve him a u thority to m a n
age all the co n cern s of the colo n y . This w a s
w hat C orte s pr ob a bl v expected a n d w ished
the m to d o . He k n e w that the gover n or of
C uba w as n o t a very go od m a n a n d t hat he
d isliked C ortes a n d he feared that he m i ght
se n d to M ex i co a n d deprive him of h i s po w er .
B u t if he co u ld pers ua de hi s m en to m a ke him
t heir C aptai n he co u ld ha ve m ore e n tire co n
trol over the m a n d they w o u ld stay by him ,
i n Op pos i t i o n to Velasq u ez wh o m they k n e w
w a s a selfish a n d u nj u st m a n .
C ortes ordered all the stores of the ship to
be bro ught fro m the ships a n d lodged in the
store h o use . The m en de s i re d hi m to take
s uch a shar e a s he tho ught belo n ged to hi m a s
the C aptai n a n d also beca u se he had fur n ished
w ith hi s o w n m on ey a great part o f the s u p
plies o f the expeditio n b u t he refu se d t o take
more tha n a n eq u al share w ith the others .
Thi s a nd the rest o f his co n d uct m ad e mos t
n ew
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B?
A
,
LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
42
his m e n like him very m uch a n d m ade the m
v ery w illi n g to follo w his orders .
While they w e re explori n g the co un try t o
fix a place for the ir n ew to w n they s a w so m e
n atives w ho ca m e fro m the to w n of Z e m o a ll a .
p
They w ere m u ch afraid at first b u t o n bei n g
treated ki n d ly by the Span iards they i n vited
C ortes to co m e a n d visit th eir city . They sai d
the i r lord w a s very fat a n d hea vy a n d he co u ld
n o t co m e o ut to m eet t he stra n gers b u t that he
had se n t the m w ith a prese n t of so m e t u rkeys
a n d begged C ortes to co m e a n d visit hi m .
C orte s co m plied w ith the i n vitatio n ; h e w a s
ki n dly received a n d hospitably lo d ged . C ortes
placed a g uard before the doors of his ho u se at
n ight so that he m ight n o t be s u rprised by t he
I n dia n s ; He w a s al w ay s very tho u ghtfu l a n d
this w a s probably the reaso n that he al m ost a l
w ays s u cceeded i n w hat he u n dertook . He w a s
w hat m ight be called a l u cky m a n b u t it w i ll
ge n erally be fo un d that these perso n s w ho are
c alled l u cky are al w ay s very atte n ti ve t o take
a d va n tage of every thi n g that ca n help the m
a n d n ever to forget t o do all i n their po w er to
sec ure the s uccess o f w hat they u n d ertake .
of
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LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
43
Careless thou ghtless perso n s b e they yo un g
or Ol d are very apt to be u n l ucky .
The n ext day the chief ca m e to vi sit C orte s
in his lodgi n gs . He w a s s u ch a ver y fa t m a n
that he w a s obli ge d t o be helped to w a lk by a
m a n on e a ch s id e of him . I f he w a s so fat it
i s probable he wa s a li ttle lazy an d n ot s orry
that so m ebo dy had co m e w ho w o u ld be w illi n g
to fight hi s e n e m ies for hi m ; for it m u st have
bee n hard w ork for s u ch a fat body to go t o
battle .
C ortes prop osed that they sho uld sit do wn
a n d talk over m atters qu ietly ; to this the chief
co n se n ted a n d three legged st ools all m ade of
of w ood w ere placed for the m .
on e piece
The I n d ia n chief told his follo w ers to st an d a t
a dista n ce . C ortes told hi m the sa m e story he
had told the other chiefs w ith w ho m he ha d
c o n versed O f the ki n g his m aster a n d w hat he
w a s se n t o u t for . The chief of Z em p o a ll a i n
his t ur n sai d that his a n cestors i n old t i m es
lived i n peace a n d q u iet n es s b ut that the lor d s
of M exic o had i n tr uded i n to their co u n try ha d
oppressed the m a n d forced the m to pay trib u te .
They had several ti m es tried to rid the m sel ves
o f these hard m asters
b ut that they had n ot
,
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i
e
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44
LI F E
or
HERN A N DO
C OR T E S.
cceeded the M exica n s had c o n qu ered the m
i n battle a n d the priso n ers who m they took
they sacrificed to their Gods . He said that
the Tlascala n s w ere also e n e m ies of M o n tez a
m a a n d had bee n oppressed by him a n d that
there were several other tribes in the sa m e sit u
atio n w ho w o u ld be very glad to rid the m selve s
of his oppressi o n .
C orte s told the m he w a s very sorry a n d that
o uld be v ery glad t o
th e e m peror his m aster w
h ave him he l p the m to gai n the liberty of whic h
the Mexica n s had deprived the m . The chie f
than ked C ortes for his k in d pro m ises a n d w he n
C ortes took his l eave of him he m ad e him sev
e ral very rich prese n ts a n d besides these gave
hi m eight yo u n g girls richly dresse d after the
I n dia n fashio n . C ortes a n d his party left Z e m
l
oa
a
l
n
the
girls
ridi
g
horseb a ck behi n d
n
o
p
the Spa n iards .
su
,
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,
e
,
,
C HA PTER
IN
IV.
ret urn i n g to the ships C ortes visited a nc
th er I ndia n to wn where he wa s ki n dl y received .
,
,
e
46
LIFE OF
E
H R N AN DO
C OR T E S .
very acti ve in helpin g the m to u n load the ship s
a n d t o carry sto n es a n d assist to b u ild the to w n .
C orte s n a m ed i t Ve r a C r uz the tr ue C ro s s
they laid ou t a place for a chapel a ch u rc h
s tore ho u ses a w harf a n d a fort .
The Z em poa l l a n s se n t to C ortes that th e y
had bee n oppressed by the soldiers w ho w ere
placed by M o n tez u m a i n a n eighbori n g t o wn
to ca u se the m to pay trib u te . T he s e m en ha d
b u r n e d their cor n fi el d s a n d trou bled the m very
m u ch . C orte s w e n t to their assis ta n ce . The
garriso n of M o n tez um a resis ted at first b u t
w h en they s a w the horses a n d heard the ca n
n on they w ere seized w ith fear . C ortes w o u l d
n o t a llo w his m en t o do a n y h u rt to the i n b ah
i ta n t s of the to wn . Thi s m ade t he n at ures like
C ortes very m u ch . Whe n he ret ur n ed fro m
t his expeditio n he fo u n d s hips had arrive d fro m
Cu ba . They w ere un der the com m a n d Of S al
zeda a n d br o u ght a s ni ppl y of horses a n d m e n
.
hich
C
ortes
a
s
ery
glad
to
rec
ive
v
e
w
w
n
o
n
hey
e
t
very actively t o b uild the
w
T
to wn . They divided the treas ures they had
gai n ed t aki n g o u t the fifth part w hich belo n g
ed to the e m peror . They w rote letters to th e
n
h
h
i
m
m
e
or
telli
w
at
they
a
o
e
h
n
a nd
r
d
d
e p
g
,
,
"
"
,
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-
,
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-
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'
,
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,
fi re
H ER NAND O C OR T E S.
or
b eggi n g hi m
to a ppr ove th e choice the y ha d
m ade of C ort e s fo r their Captai n . F ro m n e ws
which S a l z e d a bro ught the m they w ere a fraid
that Velas qu ez w o u ld se n d a n d try to take a w a y
the po w er fro m Corte s .
So me of the m en w ho were frie n ds to Ve
l a s q u e z a n d did n o t l ike C ortes or who tho ugh t
he w a s t aki n g too mu ch po wer to him s el f trie d
to m ake a di ffic u lt y a n d a rebellio n agai ns t his
po wer . B ut C ortes wa s very w atch fu l a n d
d i scovered their pla n s a n d stoppe d the d is tu r
ba n ce . In a short ti m e h o w ever he fo un d
the sa m e m en w ere sayi n g thi n gs abo u t w hat he
did to m ake the m en u n easy a n d disc o n te n te d
He h u n g
a n d he took very severe m eas ures .
o of the leaders of the rebellio n a n d p un is h
tw
e d tw o others by w hippi n g . This sto pped the
m u ti n y .
C orte s ha vm g n o w go t hi s to w n in a pro s
pero n s co n d itio n resolved o n a pla n w hich w a s
very bold a n d dari n g a n d w hic h he tho ugh t
w o uld preve nt hi s m e n fro m havi n g a ny tho u ght s
of leavi n g the n ew settle m e n t . H e prete n de d
that the ships w ere s o w or n ou t a n d w or m ea t
e n that they w ere of n o u s e a n d propose d to
destroy the m after havi n g take n ou t of the m
‘
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t
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LIFE OF H ERN AN DO C OR T E S .
48
every thi n g of a n y val ue . Thi s he did a n d
th u s the m e n w ere l eft w ith him i n the n e w
c olo n y a n d felt that there wa s n othi n g for t he m
to d o bu t to follo w the co m m a n d s of C ortes
The
a n d try to co n q u er this rich c o u n try .
m ea n s of ret u r n i n g to their o w n la n d havi n g
bee n take n a w ay .
C ortes n ow deter m i n ed to go t o M exic o a n d
see M o n tezu m a . He advan ced to Z e m p oa l l a .
He advised the peo ple of that to w n to p u ll
do w n their idols ; this they did a n d also pro m
ised h im tha t they w o ul d leave off their practise
of killi n g m en to o ffer the i r bo d ies i n sacrifice
to their gods .
Their te m ples w ere square to w ers so m ethi n g
l ike those w hich C ortes ha d see n at C oz u m el .
T hey t um bled their idols fro m the to ps of their
to w ers at the co m m an d s of this stra n ger w ho
t hey see m ed to have regarded as a sort of di
vi n ity .
They pro m ised to re n d er h im all the help
they co uld . They said they w o u ld fu rn ish
him w ith as m a n y m e n a s h e w a n te d i f he
sho u ld have t o fight w ith the M exica n s . Hef
took with hi m a n u m ber of I n d ia n s w ho m they
called Ta urm en es a k i n d of slaves w ho m they
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LIFE OF
E RNANDO C OR T E S .
49
H
e mplo y ed t o bear b urde n s . They had n o horses
s e for this pur
co
ld
or a n i m als w hic h the
u
u
y
pose .
C ortes le ft Z empoa l l a o n his j o ur n ey to M ex
ic o on the l 6 th O
f A u g u st . His force co n sist
e d of 400 S pa n iards 1 5 h orses 6 pieces o f
ca n n o n a n d 1 3 00 I n dia n s . Whe n he set o u t
all the In dian s w ho had
on this expediti o n
c o m e t o hi m fro m M o n tez u m a left him bei n g
afraid to go w ith him beca u se they k n e w that
M o n tezu m a did n o t w i sh him to go to M exico
a n d b eca u s e the other I n dia n s w ho w er e w ith
hi m w ere e n e m ies t o M o n t ez uma . The first
’
day s Jo ur n ey lay thro ugh th e c o un try of In
dia n s w ho w ere frie n dly t o C ortes bu t as they
w e n t for w ard the road beca m e m ore di ffic u lt
to travel a n d the co un try w a s m ore m o u n tai n
o u s —a part of the w a
the
road
see
m
ed
ut
c
y
o u t by the ha n ds of m a n a n d it w a s like goi n g
u
o f s tairs t o j o u r n ey on it .
a
flight
Havi
g
n
p
passed over this m o u n tai n o u s c o un try they
reac hed a to w n the i n habita n ts of w hich w ere
frie n dly to Mo n tez um a they received C ortes
ki n dly havi n g bee n directed by M o n tez u m a to
sho w the m every atte n tio n . O n leavi n g this
place they fo u n d the co un try agai n very m o un
~
~
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_
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’
s
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5
LIFE OF H E RNANDO C OR T E S .
50
ta in ous
a nd
ro ugh
til they reached a to wn
c alled Z a cl o t a . This to w n w a s b u ilt better
t h an a n y I n dia n to w n they had see n . T he
ho use of the chief w hose n a m e w a s Ol in tl o c
w a s of n ew w hite s t o n e . He received C ortes
a n d his m en very ki n dly . He se n t o u t perso n s
t o bri n g t he S p an iards i n to the city . They i n
n a sort
s i sted on c arr y i n g the m i n to the to wn O
o f han d barro w. C ortes e n qu ired o f the chie f
i f he w a s a trib u tary to M o n tez um a . H e see m
e d s u rprised at the qu es tio n a n d s a 1 d he tho ught
M ontez um a w a s lord of all the w orld . He sai d
th at he lived in the m ost beau t ifu l a n d t he
s tro n g est city that e ver w a s see n . That he
ha d a n ar m y of a h u n dred tho usan d m en a n d
that he e very year sacrifice d t w e n ty th o u san d
m en to his gods .
C ortes proposed to pass thro ugh T l a sca l l a
which w a s in his w a y t o w ard M exico he had
u n derstood that this tribe w ere e n e m ie s of M on
t ez um a a n d w o u ld there fore be glad to have
him proceed on his w a y there . He se n t m es
s en g er s to tell the m he w ished to pass thro u gh
their co un try b ut they s u pposi n g he wa s
frie n dly to M o n tez u m a re fu sed to S ho w hi m
an y fa vor a nd k ept his messe n gers priso n er s .
,
un
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‘
,
LIFE OF H E RNANDO C OR T E S .
51
C ortes fi n di n g t ha t th ey did not retu r n w e n t
for ward a n d m et his m en w ho had m ade their
e s cape a n d who told hi m that the Tl a s ca l l a n s
w ere disposed to fi ght w ith him . He so o n
m e t a party o f the T l a sca l l a n s w ith who m he
fo ugh t a battle a n d ga i n ed the victory tho ugh
t wo o f his horses w ere killed . He fo ught fo ur
battles w ith the Tl a sca ll a n s w hich e n ded as
the co n te sts w ith th e I n dia n s ge n erally did in
great sla u ghte r o f these poor creat ures a n d
b ut l ittl e loss to the S pan i ard s . Be fore these
sk ir m ishes w ere over s o m e m esse n gers c am e
fro m M o n te zum a bri n gi n g very val uable pre
s e n ts . The e m peror o f M exico se n t w ord to
C ortes tha t he sho uld b e glad to be a frie n d to
t he ki n g of S p a i n . Tha t he w a s w illi n g to
pay a n y trib ute that m o n arch m ight d e m a n d
that he w a s w illin g to pa y i t in go l d plate
pearls s laves or gar m e n ts a n d th at he w o ul d
pay it p un ct u ally ou co n ditio n that n either
C ort es n or a n y of his com pan y sh o uld co m e to
M exico . The m esse n gers said their m aster
w o u ld be m u ch grieved to have s u ch brave
m en take s u ch a lo n g a n d weariso m e Jo u rn ey
ughts
a n d begged they w ouId gi ve u
the
tho
p
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
”
,
'
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
of
it.
LIFE
OF
HERNAN DO C OR T E S.
C or tes replied to the m esse n gers that he
Wa s very tha n k ful for the rich pre se n ts he had
receive d a n d begged the m to stay till he ha d
do n e fighti n g w ith the T l a s ca l l a n s that he
m ight se n d M o n tez um a w ord ho w he h ad s u c
ce e d e d .
While thi n gs w ere in this state C or
tes fell sick b u t recovered i n a day or tw o a n d
m ade a n exc urs i o n thro ugh the w ilder n ess a n d
fo u n d a t o wn co n sisti n g o f
ho u ses .
The i n habita n t s w ere so alar m ed at his s u dde n
appearan ce that he had n o di ffic ulty i n taki n g
ossessio
n of the to w n . He took so m e sp oil
p
o u ld n ot allo w his m e n t o treat the i n
but w
habita n ts ill an d r et urn ed s a fely t o his o w n
ca m p . While he w a s ab se n t so m e d istu rba n ce
ar o e a m on g hi s sold iers so m e o f the m en
w ished to go back to Vera Cr u z they tho u ght
C ortes w a s rash a n d i m pr u de n t to pe n etrate
w i th s o few m en i n to t he heart o f s u ch a thickly
settled co u n try where there w ere so m a n y
w arlike i n habita n ts . C ortes on his ret ur n
m ade a s pee ch to the soldiers setti n g fo r th the
rich n ess of the co u n try t hey w ere goi n g to con
qu er the gr e at s uccess w hich had atten ded
t he m so far a n d a s he had j u st ret u r n ed fro m
s o s ucce ssful a n expe d itio n i n taki n g the I n
,
,
,
,
,
'
,
,
,
,
,
’
c
,
,
s
“
,
,
,
,
‘
,
\
,
,
e
LIFE OF H E RNANDO C OR TE S .
54
the m for m aki n g w a r upo n him an d
for killi n g his t w o horses . He told the m he
w o uld visit the i r Ci ty .
The m esse n gers of Mon tezu m a w ere troubled
at this they tried to pers u ade C ortes n o t to go
t o Tl a s ca ll a they t old hi m that the people there
w ere trai tors a n d that he a n d his m en w o uld
b e i n da n ger i f he w e n t
C ortes i n sisted on
’
goi n g a n d lVI on tezu m a s m es se n gers the n beg
t
i m to
u
o ff his v isit u n til they co u ld
e
d
h
g
p
et a n a n s we r
this
s e n d to their m a ster a n d
g
w o uld take six days . C ortes co n se n te d to do
this . In the m ean ti m e the Tla s ca l l a n s w ere
very j oyful a n d ca m e daily to the ca m p bri n g
i n g G ui n ea he n s bread a n d cherrie s a n d u r g
i n g C ortes to visit their t o w n .
’
A t the en d of the six days M o n tezum a s
m esse n gers ret u r n ed . They brought very
se n t s to C ortes co n sisti ng of golde n
c ostly pr e
e wels a n d fiftee n h u n dred gar m e n t s of cot ton
j
clo th . They b eso u ght C ortes n o t to go to
T l a sc a l l a n or to believe the T l a s ca l l a n s w ho m
they said w ere traitors a n d mu rd erers . T heir
m aster tho u ght it w a s a sad pity s u ch fi n e
e
n tle m e n sho u ld go to s u ch a w icked place .
g
N ot withsta n di n g these ca uti o n s C or tes w e n t
for gave
,
.
,
,
,
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'
,
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,
,
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,
,
,
,
,
,
,
‘
LI EE
’
or
H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
Tl a s ca ll a .
He w a s received
po m p a n d lodged in a te m ple o f
w ere several i n the c1 ty .
to
w ith
great
w hich there
’
'
5
.
“
,
,
CHA PT ER v.
the I n di an to n g u e m ea n t w el l
baked bread . The tow n wa s so n a m e d b e
ca u se a sort o f bread gr ai n gre w abo u t it . I t
w a s a large c it y by a river side . There w a s
a provi n ce o f the sa m e n a m e w hich ha d tw e n ty
ei ght v illages or to wn s a n d
ho u se
h olds . The m en were w ell m ade a n d goo d
looki n g . A ll the riches of the co un try con sist
e d i n grai n ; bu t thi s w a s so ab u n dan t that
the pe o ple w ere Su pported by it . They had
a great m arket place w here i m m e n se n um bers
O f perso n s ca m e e very d a y to b u y a n d sell .
There w ere all ki n ds of artisa n s in th i s city
golds m iths feather dressers barbers . There
w ere po tters a n d they m ad e a ki n d o f earthe n
w ar e said t o be a s good as what w a s m ade a t
that ti m e 1 n S pa in . They had also very good
past urage .
T LAS CALLA , in
,
,
’
-
‘
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
-
,
,
,
_
,
LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
56
C ortes w a s
pleased to fin d the a ppearan ce of
s o m u ch c iv ilizatio n . He w a s a zealo u s Chris
tia n ho w ever a n d he begged the m t o thro w
do wn their idols a n d w orship t he G od of the
Christian s . They said that it w a s hard to be
lieve that religio n to be fa lse w hich their a n
perhaps i n
c es tor s had ta u ght the m w a s tr u e
ti m e they sho u ld be co n verted they sho uld
like to w ai t a n d see m ore of the C hristia n s a n d
their religio n . C ortes w as obliged to be con
t e n ted w ith this . He pro m ised to se n d the m
perso n s t o i n str uct the m i n his religio n . He
d es 1 red that the te m pl e in w hich he w a s lodge d
m ight be m ade i n to a ch u rch . To this the y
co n se n ted a n d he ca u se d christia n w orship to
be p er form ed there w hile he s tayed i n the
city . The I n dian s occasio n ally cam e t o see
t he ir services .
The Tl a s ca l l a n s tried to persu ad e C orte s n o t
to go to M exico b ut he i n sisted on goi n g a n d
told the m h e w o uld u rge M o n tez um a to besto w
o n the m the privileges w hic h they w a n te d
w hich w a s to b u y cotto n a n d salt . M o n tez u m a
havi n g forbidde n a n y o n e to sell these articles
to the Tl a s ca l la n s . A n oth er I n dia n tribe ca m e
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S.
57
t o C ortes a n d o ffered to be s ubj ect t o his m a s
ter a n d to he lp hi m agai n st M o n t ez um a .
’
M o n tezu m a s m e s se n gers m a d e a n other a t
te m pt to ca u se C ortes to giv e up his expeditio n
to M exico . They told hi m that their m aster
w a s s u rro u nded by lio n s tigers a n d the m ost
dre adful beasts a n d that these a n i m als w o u ld
frighte n hi m t o death if h e W e n t there . C or
t es of co u rse w a s n o t m oved b y s u ch childish
u rpose .
tale s as these to give "
his
p
p
F i n di n g that n othi n g co uld tu r n him fro m
hi s d esign they s a i d if he w o u ld go that he
had better go by th e wa y o f Chol u la . The
Tl a s ca ll a n s urge d him o n the co n tra ry n o t t o
go there . C ortes advan ced t o w ard the place
b ut for so m e reaso n s s u specti n g that all w a s
n o t right he se n t i n to the city or deri n g the
r ulers to c o m e ou t a n d m ee t him they at firs t
refu sed b u t w he n he i n siste d they ca m e ou t
a n d s a d they h ad refu sed fro m fear of the Tlas
callan s . They led C ort es i n to the cit y w here
he w as rec eived w ith m u ch po m p a n d every
m a n had a prese n t of a G u i n e a cock . B ut fo r a l l
this C orte s s u spected s o m e treaso n a n d M ari
n a the I n dia n w o m a
n w ho w a s the i n terpreter
heard fro m a n other In dian wom a n that there
,
'
,
,
,
-
,
,
-
,
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,
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,
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,
,
LIFE OF H ERNANDO C ORT E S .
58
a plan laid for the C hol ul an s to un dertake
to gu ide C ortes t o M exico a n d the n lead him
i n to ro u gh a n d da n gero us places a n d kil l all
the party .
C ortes did n ot let a n y on e k n o w that he had
fo u n d ou t the plot b ut g ot all ready fo r hi s de
u
art
re a n d the n se n t for the r ulers he re
p
roa
h
e
d
the
m
f
o r t heir w ic k ed n ess i n for m i n g
c
p
s u ch a pla n
he let the m k n o w that he had
fo un d it all o ut. He the n cau sed tw o of the
leaders to be killed, a n d the others bo u n d . An d
a t a sig n al w hich he had agreed upo n w ith his
m en they attacked the to w n . Great n um
bers
of the I n dia n s w ere kille d a n d t he S pan iard s
seized a great quan tity o f gold a n d other arti
t icl es val u ed by the n ati ves .
The I n dia n s
w ho w ere the allies of C ortes took cotto n a n d
salt w hich w a s w hat they m ost w a n ted a n d
val ued m ost highly . T he C hol ul a n s begged
pardo n of C ortes w hich b e gra n ted . A s their
chie f r uler had bee n killed in this co n test it
w a s n ecessary to choose a n other . This they
did aski n g the advice o f C orte s as to w ho m
they sh o u ld select .
C hol ul a w a s a very large city a n d fa m o u s
as the place w here the m ost
a ll over M exico
wa s
,
,
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‘
,
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,
L IF E OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
59
sole m n religio u s cere m on i es w ere per for m ed .
Pilgri m s ca m e there to w or ship fro m all parts
o f th e co un try . I t i s said t o have co n tai n ed
as m a n y te m ples as there are
so m e of these w ere very beau
s id ere d a place of sa n ct uary or sa f
C
t
eL
acc u sed perso n s m ight fly for refu ge . There
w a s on e t e m le i n this city w hich w a
s
the
—
p
hig hest of a ny i n a l l N ewfi pam . There w er e
a h u n dred a n d t w e n t y steps l e a d in g to the top
o f it . The I n habita n ts of C hol ul a w ere V
EI
n
oo
l
o
o
k
i
n
a
n
better
lothed
tha
a
I
n;
C
d
c
d
g
ny
g
dian s the S p a n i ards had y et see n . Th ere wa s
a volcan o n ear this ci ty called Popocatp e tl .
C ortes s en t a n um ber o f his m en t o visit this
w o n der .
C ortes t old th e m esse n gers o f M on tez um a
that he w a s very m u ch s ur pris ed that their
m aster sho uld have laid s uCh a co w ardly plan
f or his destr u ctio n wh HrTI J W
aS pm
féhdin g to
be frie n d ly t o the S pa n iards . That it w ould
have bee n more brave t o hav e fo u ght the m in
o pe n battle tha n to try t o decoy the m i n to d a n
n
n
ero
s
places
a
d
the
n
destroy
the
.
m
Mon
g
tezurn a se n t him a m essage
de n yi n g that he
had form ed an y su ch pla n as C ortes had heard
,
"
,
v
w
“
”
w
w
a
s
,
g
m
m
-q
"m
u
m
M
m
M
-a m
“fl
m
N
,
w
,
,
M
,
,
,
,
,
LIFE OF H E RNANDO C OR T E S .
60
of.
He said that i t w a s all do n e by the C ho
l ul a n s who w ere u r g ed by their n eighbors to
try to d estroy the Spa n iards .
Whe n M o n tez um a fo un d that C or tes c o u ld
n o t be diss u aded fr om adva n ci ng to M exico he
sh u t hi m self u p to co n s u lt w ith his priests a n d
the oracles of his gods to k n ow how he sho u ld
act to w ard this po w erfu l stran ger w ho w a s
en t e r I n g s o T u d el y i n to the very heart of his
co un try . The priests ad vised hi m to let C orte s
co m e i n to t he city they co u ld n o t pre ve n t it
a n d whe n o n c e there the n um ber of the stra n
gers w a s so s m all that it w o u ld be easy for
M o n tez u m a to fall u po n a n d destroy the m
whe n ever he pleased .
C ortes n o w left C hol ula . He told the frie n d
l y I n dian s w ho had acco m pa n ied him s o far
that they m ight n ow leave hi m if they pl eased
as he sho u ld n ot n eed their help . S o m e of
the C ho l ul a n s a n d I n dia n s fro m other to wn s
i n the n eighborhood we n t w ith hi m . The
fear of him had spread so m u ch that w herever
h e w e n t the n atives received hi m w ith ki n d
n ess . The fi rst day of their j o u r n ey they pass
ed thro u gh frie n dly villages w here they had
all they wa n ted provide d for th em b y the na
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
“
a
,
,
,
,
,
,
LIFE OF H ERN ANDO C OR T E S .
62
to th em fro m t he city w i th c ostly prese n ts
m a n y of the m gold . M o n tez u m a a gai n begge d
C ortes to go back a n d n o t e n ter the city . He
said the roads w ere bad that he w o uld have to
cross the w ater a n d that perhaps he an d his
m e n w o u ld be dro wn ed . He said he w o u ld
the trib u t e
c ertai n ly pay t o the ki n g of Spai n
h e had pro m ised he w o uld b e w illi n g eve n to
pay more tha n h e had a greed to do i f Corte s
b u t C ortes had
w o uld t ur n back to his ships
for n othi n g a n d he replied to
n ot go n e so fa r
the e m p eror of Mexico,t hat he w a s very m uch
pleased w ith his co stly prese n ts a n d tha n ked
him fo r th e m . Bu t that he co uld n ot take hi s
ex g p . He
a dvice he m u s t a n d w o u ld vis it
Mi
told M o n tez um a h o w ever that he w o ul d n o t
fi n d his vis it so tro u bleso m e as he expeC
te d .
I n deed he tho ught M o n tezu m a w o uld like the
S pan iards when he s a w the m . C orte s said h e
w a s n ot a fraid of fati gu e or o f bei ng dro wn ed .
He had co m e a great distan ce in ships a n d b y
lan d a n d he felt n o fear of passi n g t he little
dista n ce w hich lay bet wee n him a n d M exico .
C ortes proceeded on his j o urn ey . He passe d
throu gh two m ore to wn s w here he receive d
large pre se n ts . A s he ca m e n ear to the city
o ut
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
“
w
,
,
,
l
,
'
,
,
LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
m ore m esse n gers fro m
w ard
63
M on tez um a ca m e for
to m eet him a m o n g th em w a s the n ephe w
o f the e m pero r a yo u t h of t w e n ty fi ve
e
rs
y a
n a m ed Ca ca m a . He w a s atte n ded w ith
r at
’
p o m p a n o r n e on m e n s sho u lders . Whe n
,
-
,
,
,
'
‘
,
perso n s who atte n ded him s wept a way the d u st
fro m the place where he w a s t o step .
He said his u n cl e begge d Cortes to exc u se
his n ot com I ng for ward hi m self tha t he w a s
n o t w ell a n d had se n t thi sf d fl y o f frie n ds i n
his stead to escort a
a y i f he
still persi sted in goi n g tho ugh h e m ost ear n est
l y begge d C ortes eve n n ow t o t ur n back .
C or tes witho u t heedi n g this m essage still a d
van ce d a n d reache d a to w n w hich w a s b u ilt
partly u po n the lake a n d partly u po n the l a n d
they passe d over a ca us
w hich bro u ght the m
to wn whic h w a s
a n d co n tai n ed m a n
ki n dly received by th e ru l er of thi s to wn h e
,_
m
w
,
4
M
“
,
M
w
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
-
,
,
,
‘
.
,
he said he w a s a
m aster . He told C ortes
w a y to the city w as easy that the road lay over
’
tez u m a ,
,
LIFE OF H E RNAN D O C OR T ES.
64
a ca u se w ay like the on e they ha d j u st pas sed .
C ortes w a s glad to hear this beca u se he ha d
th o ught fro m wh at he had heard that he sho ul d
ha ve to cr oss the water i n boats . C a ca ma a d
vised the m t o go to the n ex t to w n w hich Wou ld
be w ithi n t w o le a gu es of M exico .Here they w ere
. I t wa s a
lod g ed in the h
fi n e ho u se co n ta I n i n g m a n roo m s . T he wa l l s
y
of the roo m s w ere h un g abou t w it h fi n ei ol i on .
The ho u se had n ear it bea u tiful garde n sfl éd
e
n ted w i t
w ith flo w ers a n d fr u its or n m
h l arge
a
p o n ds ; which w er e wafll gd abou t w ith sto n e
a n d had sto n e steps leadi n g do w n i n t o th em
the p o n ds w ere filled wi th fi gh. The to wn
w a s b u ilt partly o n la n d a n d partl y on t he lake
the w ate r of w hich w a s salt .
F ro m this to wn to M exi co w a s two leag ue s
the road w a s over a ca u se way w hich is a solid
road b u ilt i n the w ater or across a mars hy
w e t ki n d of g r o u n d . This c a u se w ay w a s s o
broad that eight horse m e n co uld ride abreast
a n d so straight that the gates of M exic o co uld
be see n fro m a great dista n ce . Other large
to w n s were to be see n fro m this n ei ghborhood .
G reat qu a ntities of salt were m ade fro m the
,
,
,
,
w
,
f
,
,
,
w
m
~
'
‘
‘
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
‘
,
,
,
LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
w aters
of
65
thi s lake the fair s a n d m ark ets all
a bo u t
w ere s upplie d by i t a n d M o n tez um a
n ed a great deal o f w ealth fro m this so u rce .
ai
g
I t w a s d ifli cul t for the S pa n iards to m ake
t heir w a y al o n g the c a u se way beca u se so
m a n y perso n s cro w ded ou t of the city to t ake
a look at these
s tra n gers of who m they had
hear d so m u ch . A s they ca m e n earer to the
c ity they fo u n d the ca u se w ay w a s m a d e w ider
s o that there w a s a broader p assage a n d roo m
fo r a b u l w ark o f sto n e a n d t w o to we rs on ea ch
s ide . The e n tra n ce to the ci ty w a s close d by
t wo stro n g gates "
A n i m m e n se n u m ber of n oble m e n a n d citi
z e n s ca m e ou t t o m eet th em . E ach on e s a
" W
“
W
l u ted the s tra n gers by t o u ch i n"g the gro un d
“ ”
w
h
i
ch h g k i h sed a n d the n
w ith hi s r ightj iaa
dl
assed
on . Thi s processio n w a s m ore t ha n a n
p
hou r i n passi n g by . A dra w bri d ge j oi n ed this
l ast ca u se w ay to th e city a n d it w a s u po n this
b ridge th at M on tez u m a received C ortes ” He
wa s sh aded by a ca n opy of gree n fe athers or
n a m en t e d w ith gol d a n d silver . This ca n opy
vv
a s c arri e d over hi s he ad by fo u r n oble m e n .
His n ephe w s led him s upporti n g him on e ach
s ide . T hese three wer e dres s e d a li k e
exce pt
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l
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t
,_
‘F
m
w
W
aa v
M
‘n
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fi
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i
n
t
erm
LIFE OF H ERNAN D O C OR T E S.
t hat the shoes of Mo n tez um a w ere s et with pre
c io u s sto n es .
H is atte n dan ts w e n t before him
layi n g d o wn m a n tles a n d coverlets that hi s
feet m ight n o t to u ch the gro u n d a large com
p a n y follo w ed their m aster .
M o n tez u m a w alked i n the m iddle of the
street his a tte n dan ts loo k ed on the grou n d
beca us e it w a s agai n st their l a w fo r a n y o n e to
look in the face of t heir m o n arch . C ortes dis
m o u n ted fro m his horse w he n he s a w M o n te
z u m a a n d w e n t to e m brace him after the S pa n
i sh fashio n bu t the follo wers of M o n tez u m a
w o u ld n o t per m it him to to u ch their m o n arch
they thi n ki n g I t w a s a s in for a n y on e t o do so .
C or tes pu t o n the n eck of M o n tezu m a a col
lar m ade of glass i m itati n g pe arl dia m o n ds
a n d other precio u s sto n es . M o n tez u m a tha nk
ed C ortes for h i s prese n t a n d the n w e n t to w ard
the c ity . He ordere d his m en to lead C er
t e s by the h a n d i m
m ediately after him . M o n
tez u m a expressed m u ch pleas ure at the prese n t
he had recei ve d fro m C ortes a n d in or d er to
ret u r n it h e gave t o C ortes tw o val u able c ol
lars w ro u ght of gold i n a very c u ri o u s m a n
n er . He pu t the se collars w ith his o w n ha n ds
on th e n eck of C ortes . H i s people w ere m u ch
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LI FE OF H E RNANDO C OR T E S .
67
asto n ished t o see him sho w t his great ho n or to
the n ew c o m er .
The s treet thro u gh w hich t hey e n t ered the
c i ty w a s a m ile lo n g fi lled w ith large a n d ha n d
so m e ho uses . It led to a larg e t e m ple w hich
w he n the y reached M o n tez u m a e n tered w ith
C orte s . H e desire d him to rest hi m sel f here,
after his gre at labors . He bro u ght him i n t o a
fi n e h all richly carpe ted a n d fur n ished after the
M exica n fashio n . Th u s after all hi s tro ubles
C o r tes fo u n d hi m sel f i n the heart of this great
n a t l on w hich s u rp assed all he had i m agi n ed
i n its rich n ess a n d sple n d or . The d a y he e n
te r e d the city O f M ex 1 co w a s N ove m ber the
8 th in the year 1 5 1 9 .
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C H A PT E R VI .
ho us e w here C orte s w a s l odged wa s
very large a n d a rra n ged in n eat order . He
proceede d directly to establi sh hi m self in it as
se curel y as possible . He pl aced his can n o n
b efore the door a n d havi n g fixed every thi n g
in as good ord er a s he co uld he sat do wn t o a
T HE
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LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
68
very rich feast w hich Mo n tez um a ha d provided
for hi m .
A ft er he had di n e d M o n tez um a ca m e t o visit
C ortes . He t old him that h e had n o t w a n ted
hi m t o co m e to M exico beca u se his people w ere
a fraid to have him they had heard that the
S pan iards w ore beards that they had with the m
s tra n ge a n i m als an d that the y carried ab o u t
w ith the m th un der a n d light n i n g . He said he
fo un d they w ere m i stake n abo u t th e matter .
That he fo un d there w a s n o reaso n to be afraid
S pa n iards
Th at t heIr h orses w ere
of the
t he n s erva n ts a n d that they had n ot real th un
der a n d light n i n g .
M o n tez um a said that his a n ce s t ers w ere n ot
n ati ves of the c o u n
try where he n o w live d .
That they c a me fro m a dista n t la n d . That
they ca m e to Mexico a n d havi n g stayed a while
s o m e w e n t back to the ir n at ive la n d leavi n g
o thers of thei r n u m ber behi n d . A fter a ti m e
they agai n ret ur n ed a n d desired th ose who had
bee n left t o go to their o wn la n d w ith the m .
Bu f these re fu sed . The lord of the party w a s
a n gry w ith the m a n d w e n t aw ay sayi n g he
w o uld by a n d by se n d so m e m en who sho u ld
r ule over the m . M o n t ez um a said he s upposed
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LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
70
’
he fo u n d hi m ser ved w ith great state a n d
r ever e n ce b y great n u m bers of pages a n d W 0
m en . He had at his co urt d w arfs defor m e d
perso n s of variou s ki n ds a n d eve n idiots to
m ake j ests a n d a m u se m e n t for hi m sel f a n d the
p erso n s abo u t hi m . A t h is pala ce great n u m
be r s of perso n s w ere daily s upported . A vas t
n u m ber o f di shes w ere prepared for the ta bl e
of the m o n arch e very day . He ate alo n e an d
e
n erally selected fro m the great variety o f
g
dishes pro vided so m e o n e of w hich he m ade
his di n n er . H e w a s atten ded w ith great r e
spect . A ll perso n s who ca m e to ask a n y favor
of him app eared before him bare footed . T here
w ere m a n y ga m es w hich w ere played by skil
fu l players be fore him for his a m u se m e n t a n d
t hat o f the perso n s of his co u rt . There w a s a
si n g ular ki n d of fo ot pl ay w hich co nsisted in
keepi n g u p i n the air a ki n d of roller by s trik
i n g it w ith th e foot . They playe d ball i n a n
odd fashio n a n d the ki n d o f ball they m ade
u s e of i s d escribe d by the old w riters as bei n g
m ade of the g um of a tree w hich beca m e black
a n d hard i n t he s u n . I t w a s probably the s u b
stan ce which has si n ce beco m e so co m m o n n u
der the n a m e of I n di a R ubber . The b u i ldi n g
ma ,
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LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
71
they played thi s ga m e wa s lon g a n d
S to n es like m ill sto n es w i th a hole
n arro w .
i n the m iddle w ere p l aced in this buildi n g .
Th e h ole w a s so s m all that the ball co u ld hard
l y pas s thro u gh . T he player w ho s u cceeded
i n se n di n g it thro ugh w on the ga m e a n d a c
c ordi n g to the old l a w had a right to t ake the
cl oaks Of all th e perso n s who w ere standi n g by
to see the ga m e .
M o n tez u m a had m an y palaces a n d a great
n u m ber of w ives . The flag w hich he carried
t o b attle had pai n ted u po n it a n eagle s oari n g
o ver a tiger a n d s t o opin g t o catch it . He had
a great place where fo w ls b el on gI n g to the
la n d a n d also to the w ater w ere rais ed e n tire
l y for the feathers . T hree h u n dred perso n s
a r e said t o hav e bee n e m ploy ed t o take care o f
these birds a n d feed the m . He had a sort of
M u se u m ; i n on e p art of which w ere all sorts
o f m o n sters a n d defor m ed pers o n s o f the hu
m an ra ce other apartm e n ts for stran ge a n i
ma ls lio n s tigers a n d others . S till others for
cu rio u s articles o f earthe n w are
B eside the birds w hich w ere raised fo r their
feathers M o n te z um a had a n othe r place where
a ll bi r d s ma d e u s e of for h un ti n g a n d ha wk i n g
i n which
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LIFE
72
H ERNANDO C OR T E S.
OF
kept an d trai n ed to great per fectio n . He
ha d i m m e n se ar m ories filled w ith bo w s ar
ro w s s w ords a n d b u cklers a n d all the im pl e
m e n ts o f w a r w hich w ere m ade u s e of by this
people .
He had for his am u se m e n t a n d ple as u re
great garde n s in w hich flow ers a n d fr uits w ere
m ost taste fully a n d artfu lly arran ged . Others
for vegetables for food . He had fi n e orchar ds
a n d n u m ero u s c o u n try ho u ses . He w a s atte n
ded daily by a large n u m ber of m en for a
g u a rd . A ll his s ubj e cts pai d him tribu te .
T he n obles paid their trib u te by bei n g ready
to fight whe n ever he called upon the m others
pa id the third of a l l their fr u its flocks a n d
fo w ls their gold a n d sil ver precio u s sto n es
w a x ho n ey gar m e n ts feathers c otto n
s alt
cloth ca co a a ki n d of fr uit u sed for food a n d
als o for m o n ey . An d it wa s this pri n ce s o
richly provided so ho n orably s erved a n d so
w ho m C ortes w ith his
n u m ero u sly atte n ded
4 h u n dred m en a n d 1 7 horses expected to c o n
q u er a n d w hose ki n gdom a n d treas u re he ex
e cte d to tak e a w ay
p
In M exico w ere very large gran aries m ade
to re ceive this trib ute w hich wa s paid to the
w ere
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LIFE
OF
H E RNAND O C OR T E S .
73
pri n ce by his s u bj ects . A cc ordi n g to the a c
c o u n ts give n by so m e.of the old historia n s the
city co n tai n ed
ho u ses . I t w a s fu rn ish
ed w it h good w ater . I t had three e n tra n ces
o n e fro m the n orth a n d on e o n the so u th a n d
o n e by the c a use w ay .
I t had very large m a r
kets whi ch vver e s upplied w it h every s ort o f
article for sale . The M exica n s w ere n ot r u de
i n co n trivi n g a n d m aki n g thi n gs for u s e as
m ost o f the n atives o f the n e w w orld had bee n
fo un d to be b ut t hey w ere very sk il fu L in a ll
Th eir te m ples for
s ort s of m ec ha n ical w ork .
worship w ere so m e of the m of great size. It
has bee n said that the n u m ber of go d s w or
shippe d by this people w a s tw o tho u sa n d .
They s a crificed h u m a n b eIn gs i n the w orship
o f their gods . C or t es a n d his frie n ds spe n t S ix
day s i n vie w i n g the w o n ders Of thi s great city .
D uri n g this t i m e M o n tez um a Ofte n c a m e to
see the m a n d provided for the m liberally e very
thin g that th ey w a n ted . N ot o n l y w ere the
m e n b u t the hor s es ab u n da n tly fed . T hese l ast
w ere s u pplied w ith barley a n d grass w hich is
ple n ty i n t hat c o u n try . They had like w ise
cor n m e a l,cor n an d s o m eti m es fragran t fl o w
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LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
74
bro ught t o
m a l s to rest u po n .
e rs
w ere
m ake
beds
for
these
an i
all this C ortes did n ot
feel q u ite safe in this city s o full of people
w ith s u ch a s m al l c o m pa n y . He had s o m e
reaso n t o thi n k that the M exica n s w ere plan
a n d he re solved to get
n i n g t o d es tr oy hi m
M o n tez um a i n to his possessio n a n d as he k ne w
ho w m u ch the n atives respected their m aster
he tho u ght they w o uld n o t dare to i nj u re the
S pa n iards w hile he w a s in their po wer fo r fe a r
that C ortes in retu r n sh ou ld kill their chief..
n e less bold a n d dari n g Wo u ld h a v e
an
o
But"
y
tho u ght it i m possible t o take a po w er ful pri n c e
fro m the m i d st of his g u ards a n d his people
a n d keep hi m priso n er before their eyes .
Bu t n othi n g w a s to o dari n g for C ortes to
en to
u n d ertake . Havi n g le ft half o f his m
g uard his lodgi n gs he se n t the others in par
ties of t wo a n d three t ogether alo n g the stree t
’
leadi n g to M o n tezu m a s palace . He the n w e n t
to vi sit the pri n ce a n d desired to have so m e
c o n versatio n w ith him . C ortes w a s a rm e d
bu t his w eapo n s w ere co n cealed . M o n tez um a
he de
c am e forth a n d received C ortes ki n dly
s ired hi m t o be seated . Cort es wa s atte n ded
N o t hw i ths tan din g
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ERNANDO C OR T E S .
LIFE OF
75
H
by t hirty S pa n iards who w ai ted on him . C or
tes bega n to t alk cheer fu lly , in w hich co n ver
sati on M o n tez um a j oi n ed he gave C orte s
s o m e rich prese n ts of gold
a n d also prese n ted
to him o n e o f his d a u ght ers a n d pro m ise d th e
da u ghters o f s o m e of his n oble m e n to so m e of
the frie n ds Of C ortes . C ortes t ol d him that
he w o uld accept his prese n t beca use he feared
to giv e pai n to M o n te zum a i f he refu sed w hat
wa s n ot a n u n co m m o n pr ese n t a m o n g his peo
ple b ut he told him t hat he w a s a m a rrie d
m a n an d that i t wa s n o t co n sidered right a m o n g
perso n s of his ra ce a n d religio n to have m ore
tha n On e w i fe .
C ort es then p rod uced a letter he had r eceiv
e d fro m His cio the m a n w ho m he had left in
co m m a n d at V era C r u z by w hich he i n form ed
C ortes that seve n of th e Spa n iards had bee n
killed in a s kirm ish with a chief n a m ed Q u al
popoca a n d t hat thi s c hief prete n ded to have
acted by the o rders of M o n tezu m a . On hear
in g this letter read M o n tez u m a de n ied havi n g
n iards
ive
chie
orders
to
attack
the
S
pa
t
h
f
n
e
g
directed that Qua lpopoca
a n d i m m edi a tel y
sho u ld be se n t for a n d delivere d up i n to the
ha n ds o f C ortes .
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LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
76
C ortes told M o n tez u m a that he w i shed him
to go w ith him to his lodgi n gs that hesho ul d
th e n feel m ore sec u re that n o har m w a s in ten
ded or wo u ld be don e to the Spa n iards . He
s aid that t he m o n arc h S ho uld be treated w ith a l l
respect a n d atte n t io n b u t that he m u st keep
hi m un til this affair w a s settled . Poor M o n te
z um a w a s a m aze d exceedi n gly he said he co u ld
n o t con se n t to gi ve hi m self u p as a priso n er
a n d i f he w ere w illi n g his s ubj ects w o u ld n ever
n t that s u ch a n i n s u lt sho uld be
u t on
con se
p
their pri n ce C ortes argu ed w ith the u n fo r tu
ri n ce for the space of fo ur hou rs a n d had
n ate p
s o m u ch po w er over hi m that at last he c o n
se n ted t o g o w i th hi m . C ortes se n t t o his
lo d gi n gs to order a place to be prepared for the
m o n arch . A s they passed alo n g o n the w a y
thither his pe ople accom pa n ied hi m w eepi n g
a n d spreadi n g gar m e n t s i n t he w a y for him to
tread upo n . Whe n the n e w s w a s spr ead thro u gh
the c ity a great u proar aros e a m o n g the peo
ple b ut M o n tez u m a ad dressed the pe ople a n d
told the m that he w a s n o t a priso n er that he
w e n t w illi n gly t o m ake a visit to his n ew frie n d .
’
Whe n he reach e d the place of C ortes resi
de n ce a S pan ish g ua r d w a s placed o ver M on
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78
LI FE
or
ER NAN DO
co a r s s .
H
discovered this treas ure a n d he w o u ld like to
k n o w w hat M o n tez um a w o u ld have do n e w i th
i t as his m en w ere w ild sort of fello w s a n d
havi ng see n s u ch a treas u re m ight w i sh to tak e
i t a w ay .
M o n tez um a said i t w a s a treas u re dedicated
to the gods b u t that if C ortes w ishe d for i t
he m igh t have the gold o n ly he desired hi m
to l eave the feathers a n d other articles w hic h
w ere u sed i n the service of the te m ples . C orte s
told M o n tez u m a that i t w a s w ro n g in him t o
b o w hi m self do wn to w orship t hese idols o f
w oo d a n d sto n e that a n idol w a s n othi n g that
t here w a s on e G od
w ho m ade heave n a n d
e arth that this w a s the God w ho m the Spa n
i a rd s w orshipped . He also told hi m that it
w a s very w icked to kill m en a n d sacrifice the m
t ohis gods that they co u ld n o t p u t a so u l i n t o
a m a n a n d that therefore they o u ght n o t take
his so u l fro m his body . He u rged hi m to thro w
do w n their foolish i m ages of w ood a n d sto n e
n tez u m a told
a n d pray to the tr u e God . Mo
him that he w a s afr aid if he did so the people
w o uld be very a n gry. They had al w ay s bee n
ta u ght that it w a s their gods w ho gave the m
light li fe , food a n d c lothes a n d if these gods
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H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
LIF E or
9
destroye d they w o u ld fall on the S pa n
i a r d s a n d kill the m .
F or all this the first ti m e Mo n tezum a w e n t
to the te m ple to w orship after he wa s a priso n er
to C ortes C ortes a n d so m e of his m en w e n t
w ith him . T hey pu lle d do wn the idols a n d
w o u ld n ot allo w the priests to kill m en i n s a
cr ifice . M o n tez u m a begged the m to s top as
h e feared the peopl e . B u t C ortes addresse d
t he peo ple . He t old the m of the tr u e G od a n d
of Jes u s Christ a n d of the folly a n d w e a k n ess
of W
o rs hippi n g s tocks a n d sto n es . A fter this
he proceeded to thro w do w n the i d ols a n d to
hav e the t e m ples clea n ed fro m the blood a n d
filth w hich had b ee n ca u sed by the s la ughte r
of so m a n y bodies i n sacrifice . The I n dian s
w ere shocked a n d gri ev ed at seei n g w hat they
s o han dled they d id n o t
c o n s idere d sacre d
m ake a n ope n resista n ce b u t ra ge a n d fury
w a s in their he a rt s a n d they resolved t o de
s tro y Cortes a n d his follo w ers w he n ever the y
c o u ld fi n d a n opport u n i ty .
A fter M o n tez u ma had bee n a priso n er t w e n
t y d ays Qu a l po p oca arri ved w ith fiftee n n oble
m e n in his trai n . H e im m ediately w e n t to
M o n tez um a who put him a t on ce i n to the
we re
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80
LIFE OF
ERNANDO C OR T E S .
H
h an d s of Co rte s. He declared t hat wha t he
had don e wa s by the order of M o n tez u m a .
Ho w e ver this w a s i t m ade n o di ffere n ce to
C ortes . His h eart w a s very har d a n d he
see m e d to h ave n o feeli n g for this poor chie f
w ho had o n ly do n e what he s u pposed to be his
d uty . C ortes co n de m n ed hi m t o be b ur n t .
He the n w e n t to Mo n tez um a a n d reproache d
him w ith havi n g give n order s to Q u a l popoca
to act as he had do n e . C ortes appe a red very
a n gry a n d n ot w ithsta n di n g the u n fort un ate
M o n tez um a de n ied hav i n g had a n y thi n g to do
w ith t he thi n g he pu t fette rs on t he legs o f the
.
ri
ce
This
thre
i
i
n to s uch a n a m aze
w
h
m
n
p
m e n t an d grie f tha t he forgot the sorro ws of
his subj e ct Qua l popoca w he n he tho u ght of
the disgrace w hich wa s pu t u po n hi m sel f. Af
ter the exe cu ti o n of Qua lpopoca C ortes w e n t
to M o n tez um a re m oved the fetters a n d to ld
him he m ight ret ur n to his o w n palac e.
T he poor h um bled pri n ce re fused this offer .
He s aid that if he le ft the Spa n iards his pe o
ple w o uld fall u pon the m a nd kill the m per
haps he did n o t fe el qu ite sa fe to pu t hi m sel f
i n to the ha n ds Of his o wn s u bj ec ts after havi n g
h umbled h i m sel f s o m uch to the S pa n iards .
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IF E OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
81
L
po w er of C ortes w a s n o w absol u te for
havi n g M o n tez u m a i n his h an ds h e co u ld
m ake him order hi s s u bj ects to do w ha t he
pleased a n d they obe y ed their m a ster in e very
thi n g tho ugh he Wa s h i m self a priso n er . C or
te s n o w se n t to ex plore the c o u n try for gold .
H is m esse n gers m et w ith a po w erfu l tribe w ho
w ere e n e m ies to M o n tez u m a . They fo un d
si g n s that gold wa s ab un da n t in several places .
In o ne place w here there w a s gold in t he
n eighborhood C ortes w ished t o b u ild a ho u s e
a n d prepa re a place for m en t o live . He tol d
Mo n te zum a w hat he w a n t ed . The pri n ce im
m ediately despa tched his carpe n ters a n d other
w ork m e n a n d w itho u t delay a h o u se w a s b u ilt
by his or ders it w a s fu rn ished grai n pla n te d
abo u t it a n d every thi n g fi n ished acco rdi n g to
t he w is he s o f the Span iards . C ortes des i re d
to explore m ore thoro u ghly the coast . M o n te
z um a ass i sted him in this a n d ordered his ar
t i s ts to m a ke a pai n ted pict u re o n c o t t o n of the
exact for m Of the coast a n d repr ese n t on it all
the rivers a n d other thi n gs t o be see n on it .
B ut th ou h Mo n tez uma s u b m itted so e n tirely
to C ortes his s ubj ects w ere n o t W i lli n g to do
the s a m e they w ere very a n gry .t o see a fe w
The
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LIF E OF H E RNANDO C OR T E S .
82
tra n gers of a n ew for m a n d religio n e n teri n g
t hei r c o un try a n d dire cti n g every thi n g as i f
they w ere m asters . The n ephe w of M o nt e za
m a n a m ed C a ca m a the chief of Tez on co w a s
very m u ch displeased that his u n cle sho w ed n o
m ore co urage . H e stirred u p his people a n d
declared he w o uld go t o M exico a n d res c u e
’
M on te zu m a fro m the han ds of the S pa n iard s .
O n heari n g this n e ws C ortes w ished to go i m
m ediately a n d fig ht w ith Ca ca m a bu t M o n te
z um a u rged him n ot to do so a n d said he w o u ld
order Ca ca m a to c m e to M exico . In reply to
o
this order C a ca m a said he w o uld c o m e t o Mex
i co but that i t sho uld be w ith a n ar m y w ith
w hich he w o uld destroy the Spa n iards . M on"
t ez um a the n ordered so m e of his follo w ers to
seize Ca ca m a a n d sen d him to M exico . I t i s
very stra n ge that C ortes sh ou ld have had so
mu ch po w er over the w eak pri n ce as to com
pel him to take his o wn relat io n a priso n er b e
cau s e he Wa s tryi n g t o do w hat M o n tez u m a
hi m self w ished to have do n e t o drive the Spa n
i a r d s ou t of the c o u n try .
The perso n s e m ployed by Mo n tez um a s uc
ceede d i n getti n g Ca ca m a i n to their ha n ds a n d
brought him t o M exico . M o n tezum a i mme
s
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LI F E
OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
83
gave him up to C ortes who ke pt him
an d c o m pelled M o n tez um a to a
a p riso n er
p
n
oi
t
a
brother
of
C
c
a
a
to
be
hie
Tez
m
c
o
f
f
a
p
c uco i n stead of C a ca m a .
M o n tez um a n o w at the re qu est of C ortes
s um m o n ed all the pri n ces of his n ati o n t o e th
g
er, he m ade a speech to the m m w hich he
t old the m that th e
y m u st re m e m ber that it had
al w ays b e e n said b v their w ise m en a n d pro
h
t
s
t
that
at
a
c
ti
e
hite
bearded
e
e
a
l
n
m
W
a
n
d
r
p
m e n sho u l d c o m e w ho w o u ld r u le the n atio n .
He t old the m that these stra n gers w ere pro b a
bly th e pe rson s of w ho m their pr ophets had
M o n tezum a said that o n this a c
foretold
c o un t he had ac k n o w ledged their pri n ce to be
his r uler , a n d had pro m ised t o pay him trib u te
a n d he hoped they w ou ld do the sa m e .
The pri n ces w ho see m ed to have obeye d
M o n t ez um a i n every thi n g pr ém is ed to d o as .
he desired . While M o n tezum a wa s m aki n g
thl S addr ess t o his people the tears fell fro m
hi s ey es a n d he see m e d very sorro w ful .
It a ppears very stra n ge that he sho u ld have
bee n w illi n g to ha ve h um bled hi m sel f so en
tir el y to a s m all ban d of stra n gers whe n he
w a s a t the he a d of s uch a gre a t a n d r ich n a
d ia t el y
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LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S.
84
ti o n . Bu t h e believed the proph ecy that a
stra n ge people w a s to co m e w ho w o u ld con
qu er his n atio n there is also said to h ave bee n
a n other that the gover n m e n t w a s to e n d w ith
M o n tez um a . S o m e Of the Old wri ters say that
his o wn n a m e si gn i fied m isfort un e . A ll these
thi n gs m u st have a ffected hi m m uch as he w a s
a w eak pri n c e a n d the n the great bold n ess of
C ortes w ho pu shed hi m self for w ard a n d a l
lo w ed n othi n g to preve n t hiS d Oi n g W ha t he
w o u ld probably disco u ra g ed a nd broke his
spirit .
C orte s than ke d lVIon tez u m a for havi n g per
s u a d e d his pri n ce s to beco m e s ubj ec ts of the
ki n g o f Spai n . He told him th a t he sho u ld
al ways be treate d like a ki n g a n d sho uld b e
pro tecte d agai n st all his e n e m ies . He tol d
M o n tez um a that as it had cost ki n g Charles a
n d o u t all these m e n a n d ships
oo
d
deal
to
se
g
t o visit this n ew regio n he w o u ld be glad to be
able to collect som e of the gold w hich he had
pro m is ed to pay him . M o n tez um a agreed t o
this a n d se n t to his t reas u rers w ho bro ught
for w ard i m m e n se qu a n tities Of gold fro m all
parts of the co un try . C ortes di vided this t re a
s ure layi n g aside the fi fth part a s belo n gi n g to
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86
LI FE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
so me m ore to carry him h o me . He said he
sho u ld be glad to have M o n tez um a Se n d s om e
of his w ork m e n t o a s s is t his m en i n cutti n g
do wn tree s a n d b u i l di n g ships to carry him
a n d his follo w ers to Spai n .
Mo n tez u m a s aid he w a s w illi n g t o d o this
and that he w o uld order his m e n to go w ith the
foll o wers Of C ortes a n d d o w ha t he wishe d t o
have the m do . C orte s the n pro m i s ed to leave
the co u n try as soo n as hi s ships w ere fi n ished .
He despatched a p arty of m e n w i th a co m pa n y
Of In dia n s to the fore sts to cut ti m ber and pre
pare t o b uild the ships .
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C H A PT ER VIII .
SO M E ti m e a fter this eleve n ships arri ve d o n
t he c oast . M o n tez u m a heard Of it by his posts
be fore the n e w s reache d C ortes . He s u m
m o u ed C ortes a n d told hi m he co u ld n o w g o
for that m ore ships had c o m e a n d he n eed n o t
w ait for a n y t o be b uilt . C ortes lear n ed fro m
M o n tez um a that there w ere ele ve n ships w ith
eighty horse m e n eight h un dred foot m e n a n d
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L IFE OF H ERN ANDO C OR T E S .
87
ca nnon. M on tez u m a fi n di n g that C or
te s had got s uch an a d ditio n t o his po w er felt
th
u
w
hi
m
a n d e m braced him
i
a frai d to
q arrel
telli ng him that n o w he l oved him better tha n
ever a n d w o u ld co m e a n d di n e w i th him .
C ort es fel t a little afraid that there wa s so m e
pl ot m aki ng to attack the Spa n iards . M o n te
zu m a c o n s u lted wi th his pe ople an d so m e of
t he m advi s ed him to let the m fall o n the Spa n
i a rd s n o w be fore the n e w c om ers w ere j oi n e d
t o the m ;
Othe r s tho u ght they had better w ait
un til the o thers ca m e a n d kill the m all t o g e th
er . This last Co u n sel see m s t o have pr evailed .
Mo n tez um a a n d his co urt di n ed with C ortes in
the m ost fri e n dly m a n n er .
B ut t hese n ew co m ers m ade C ortes u n easy .
He felt afraid that t hey Were what they t u r n ed
o u t to be se n t o u t fro m C u ba
by his e n e m y
V elas qu ez who he k n e w wa s j eal ou s of him
a n d w o uld try to i n terfere w ith hi m . He soo n
fo und that w hat he had feared w a s tr u e . The
ships c a m e fr om C ub a a n d w ere co m m a n ded
by a m a n n a m ed N arvaez w ho w a s e m ployed
by Velasq uez to go to M exico take all the
w
f
m
o
er
ro
the
ha
n ds o f C ortes a n d get all the
p
h
e enuld for the gover n or O
and
old
C
ba
u
f
g
t welve
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88
LIFE OF
C OR T E S .
H e RN AnDO
co n qu er M exico i n his n a m e . N arvaez l a n ded
his forces a n d wen t to Z em po a l l a ; the n at ives
s upposi n g him t o be the frie n d of C ort e s m ad e
him pre se n ts . B u t N arvaez told the m a n d
t he other n atives that C ortes w a s a bad m a n
t hat he w a s o n ly stay i n g I n the cou n try to get
gold for hi m self. C ort es se n t to N ar vae z a n d
fi n di n g that he had c o m e with orders fro m V e
l a s qu e z a n d k n o w I n g that it w o uld be very bad
for the m all i f the n ati ves fo un d they w ere
q u arrelli n g together he tried tO m ak e frie n ds
“
w i th N arv aez . B ut t his n e w co m m a n der
w o uld have n o d eali n gs w ith C ortes b u t tol d
all the n atives at Vera Cr u z a n d se n t w ord to
M o n tez um a that C ortes w as a bad m a n a n d
did n o t co m e there u n der the d irecti on of a n y
on e
b u t o n ly to get gold for hi m self. T her e
ca m e w ith N ar va ez a j udge fro m S t .D o m i n go .
He tried to pers u a d e N a r va ez n ot t o t alk a n d
act i n this m an n er b u t Na rvaez seized him
a n d se n t him a w ay i n o n e o f the ships to C u b a.
Bu t wh e n they got to sea the j u d ge co m pelled
the m en to go to S t.D o m i n go w here h e ex
plai n ed to the gover n m e n t of that place ho w
badly N a r va ez w a s be havi n g .
C ortes tried all he c ou ld to pers uade Na r va ez
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l
FE
OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
89
to j oi n w ith him. He t old him that if he wish
ed t o take the c o mm a n d i n M exico he C ortes
w ould leave that pl a ce a n d go to m ak e co n
q ues ts in di ffere n t parts Of the co un try or he
wOuld stay i n M exico a n d let N arvaez go a n d
m ake co n q u ests . B u t N arvaez r efu sed to d o
a n y thi n g with C ortes .
Cortes fi n di n g this t o be the cas e deter m i n e d
w hich fe w o t her
o n o n e of th ose bold deeds
men w o uld have a tte m pt ed . He ad d res s ed hi s
m en told the m ab o u t the a ffair said he m us t
go"
a n d see N arvae z a n d tha t h e m u st I eave n
p art Of th em i n M ex Ico . He begged t hose he
le ft t o be brave a n d d o the best they co uld .
He visit ed M o n tez um a a n d to ld him he w a s
g oi n g to see the other S pa n iards a n d have t he
ships prepar e d in w hich h e w o u ld leave M exi
co . He begged Mo n tezu m a to r em a I n I n th e
S pa n ish ho u se u n de r the car e o f his m e n a n d
see that they did n ot wast e his treasu re s "
Mon
tez um a pro m ised to do so a nd told C ort es if
an
O
f
his
eople
tro
u
ble
d
s j ou
r
ey
h
i
m
on
h
i
n
p
y
that C ortes m ust s e n d to him a n d he w o u ld
se n d o u t m en to protect him . C ortes m ade
prese n ts to M o n t ez um a a n d his frie n ds . H e
the n le ft M exico .t aki n g w ith him t wo h un dred
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*
’
90
and
LIFE
fi fty m e n ,
H E RNANDO C O RTES.
Fo
leavi n g tw o h un dred to gu a rd
Mo n tez um a . He left A lvarado i n the co m m a n d
of M exico a n d also left w i th him t he artill ery .
He charged A lvarado n ot to allo w M ontez um a
to escape a n d pu t hi m self i n t o the h a n ds of
N arvaez .
Whe n they dre w n ear the place w here N ar
v acz w a s established he se nt a m es s e n ge r t o
C ortes telli n g hi m that he had n o rig ht to go
v er n in M exic o a n d that he m u st give up his
co mm a n d to hi m a n d leave the co u n try . Cor
tes s e n t i n a n s wer to N a r va ez that he had bee n
c hose n by the m e n w ho had m a d e the settl e
m e n t i n M exico to be th e i r Ca pta I n a n d that
h e sh o uld n ot g ive u p his c o m m a n d but that
he w o u ld c o m pel N arvaez to l e a v e the co un try .
N a r va ez m ade j est Of this or d er of C ortes a n d
sai d that he w o uld soo n sho w hl m w ho w a s to
b e the m aster . While N arvae z W a s m aki n g
these boasts to the peo ple w ho w ere abo u t him
C o rtes arran ged his pla n s q u ietly e n tered the
place w here N a r va ez w a s statio n ed a n d havi n g
arra n ged his m e n so as to protect each other
he se n t a party to the ho u se where N arvae z
l odg ed . He heari n g a n oise at the door step
n
ped fro m his roo m w he n he w a s k n ocked do w
and
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LI FE
OF
HE RNANDO COR
T E S.
91
’
C ortes m en a n d take n priso n er .
O n e Of his e y es w a s put o ut i n the sc u ffle . He
w a s oblig e d to co n fes s th a t his po w er w a s go n e
a n d C ortes se n t hi m a priso n er to V era C r u z .
In this skirm ish N a r va e z had sixtee n m en kill
ed while Of the par ty w ith C ortes On ly t w o
were killed . C ortes w o u ld n o t let his m en
boast to the follo wers of N arvae z or say a ny
thi n g disagreeable to the m but he talked kin d
l y to the m a n d in vI te d the m to j o i n hi s party
a n d go Wi th him to M exic o . This the y c o n
s en ted to do a n d ha vi n g arra n ged thi n gs i n
good ord er i n Vera C r uz he set o ut fo r Mexic o
havi n g be fo re se n t a m ess a ge there g I VI n g a n
a cco un t of his victory .
The m es s e n ger w ho m he se n t was attacked
a n d w o un ded o u his j o u r n ey a n d ca m e back
to tell C orte s the bad n ew s that the M exican s
had revolted agai n s t his p o wer that the S pa n
ish ho u ses w ere bes I eged that o ne w all had
bee n thro w n do wn a n d tha t t he n atives refu s
e d to fur n ish the S pa n iards w i th food . He a d
de d that M o n te z u m a h a d m ade his people leave
Of
f fi ghti n g b ut i t w a s n o t certai n that the y
w o u l d n o t m ake a n other attack .
Thi s wa s a sad st ory for C Ort es to hear h e
by
o ne
of
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LIFE H ERNANDO
92
C OR T E S .
OF
did n ot ho wever lose his co urage b u t m us ter
ed his m en a n d prepared t o m ee t h is e n e m ie s
bol dly . He fo un d he had a tho u san d m en a n d
nearly on e h un dred horses . He proceeded on
to T e z cu co w here he m et a Spa n iard w ho m
A lvarado had se n t t o tell C ortes to haste n for
w ard as fast as he co u ld . He told him that the
story bro u ght by the oth er m esse n ger ; w a s tr u e .
M o n t ez um a se n t a m essage by the Span iard to
C ortes sayi n g that he had n o t bee n able to pre
ve n t his s ubj e cts fro m attacki n g the Spa n iar d s .
H e said he w a s still hi m s el f the frie n d of C or
tes an d desire d him to c o m e to his ho use as
soo n as he ca m e to M exico
C ortes ad va n ced as fast as he cou ld a n d at
l ast reached Mexico . He fo un d m a n y of the
bri d ges broke n do w n . H e we n t t o the ho use
w here he had for m erly bee n bu t havi n g n e w
so m a n y m ore m en w ith hi m he wa s o bli g ed
to have so m e Of his follo w ers take u p thei r
q uarters at a n eighbori n g te mple . A lvarado
wa s full o f j o y at seei n g C ortes agai n a n d the
S pa n iards w ere all very glad t o see their frie n d s
a n d to fin d C ortes stre n gthe n ed by havi n g so
m a n y m ore m en ad d ed to his n u m bers . Mo n
t ez um a told C ortes he wa s very s orry for what
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LIFE OF H E R NANDO C OR T E S .
94
his order a n d le ft off the a ttacks they w ere
m aki n g o n every S ide u po n the S pa n iards .
Whe n C ortes arrived in the ci ty he fel t So
ultie s w ith N ar
lad
to
have
go
t
over
hi
s
di
f
fi
c
g
va e z
a n d that he had got back to M ex ico w ith
a so m u ch larger n um ber of m en tha n w he n
he left it that he forgot h is u s ual pr ude n c e a n d
i n stead of behavi n g ge n tly to the I n dia n s he
gave o u t his orders w ith great harsh n ess a n d
acted i n s u ch a m a n n er t hat the n atives w ere
agai n excited a n d a n y pr o a r arose . They a t
tacked agai n the Spa n ish ho u se . C ortes sal
lied Out to fight the I n d ia n s bu t they d efe n ded
the m selves w ith the greatest desperatio n. E ve n
the ca n n o n w hich had al w ay s before dri ve n
a w ay the n ative w arriors h ad n o e ffect . If
so m e w ere killed n um bers r u shed forw ard t o
t ake their plac e . T he S pa n iards fo u ght w ith
great bravery a n d attacked the I n dia n s i n every
w a y that co u ld be tho u ght of b u t the M exica n s
had s u ffered S O m u ch fro m the m that they r e
fu sed to yield a n d see m ed deter m i n e d all to
die rather tha n l et a n y of those stra n gers e s
cape .
A t last C or tes begged M o n tez um a to go up
to the t op o f the to w er an d address the people
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LIFE
OF
H E RNANDO C OR T E S .
5
an d bid the m cease fro m their attacks . A gai n
x
did the h um bled m o n arch go up to the t op Of
the to w er ,a n d order his s u bj ects who w ere
fi ghti n g for hi s liberty a n d their ow
to lay
n
do w n their arm s "But they w ere n o lon ger
obedie n t t o his orders . They co n ti n u ed their
a t tacks o n the to w er
o u ld n ot b el ieve
a nd w
that it w a s the i r m o n arch w ho w a s speaki n g to
the m ; The S pa n ish soldi ers held a shield
ov er hi s head t o protect him fro m t he s to n e s
an d
in par t co n cealed him
this
n d a rro ws
a
fro m their s ight . While he w a s addressi n g
the m a st en e whic h wa s fi red from belo w hit
hi m on the te m ple a n d he fell . C orte spro f
cl ai m ed to the p eople that they had wo un de d
their pri n ce t hey w o u ld n ot believe it to be
t r u e . H a w a s carrie d do w n i n t o the to w er
w here he li n gered for three days a n d the n d i ed
o un d s . I t is said that he w o u ld n o t a l
o f his Vv
l o w a n y thi n g t o be do ne fo r h is cu re but that
h e to re the ba n dages fro m his w o un ds a n d w a s
l
a d t o en d a li fe t he last days o f w hi ch had
g
bee n m ade so unhappy to him . Cortes a n
n o u n ce d to the people that their m o n arch w a s
dead a n d asked the m who they w o u ld cho ose
for his s uccessor th ey replie d to hi m that they
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96
LI F E OF
ER NANDO C OR T E S.
H
co ul d choos e a n other pri n ce for the m sel v es
a n d w a n ted n o n e of h i s advice . C orte s ca us ed
the body of the pri n ce to be carried ou t o n
’
m e n s sho u lders a n d gi ve n t o the peop l e .
Whe n they w ere certai n that he w a s i n de ed
dead they m a d e great la m e n tat i o n a n d pre par
ed for his fu n eral r ites .
,
,
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,
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C HA P TE R
I
"
.
"
A F T E R t he death Of Mo n tez um a, C orte s
tho u ght that the re w a s n o lo n ger a n y hope of
m ai n tai n i n g hi m self i n the ci ty a n d he prepar
ed to m ake his retreat . B ut it w a s i m possible
for the Spa n i ards t o d o a n y thi n g so co n sta n t
l y were they w atched a n d attacked by the m a
k possessio n of a tall
ti ve s . The M exica n s to O
t em ple n ear the Spa nis h garriso n a n d w h ich
e n tirely overlooked it . Here they fi red their
w e a po n s u po n every on e that ca m e in a n d o ut .
C ortes se n t a b ody of m en to try to dislodge
the m fro m the to w er b u t these m en w ere three
ti m es dri ve n back . C ort es the n tied a b uckler
to hi s a rm which ha d bee n w o u n ded an d r ush
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_
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LIFE OF H ERN A NDO C OR T E S .
97
ed
i n t o the co m bat . His prese n ce e n co uraged
his m en a n d they drove the M exica n s to the
top of the t o w er . T w o y o un g M exi ca n s thi n k
i n g if they Co u ld kil l C or tes they sho u ld s ave
t hei r c o u n try r ushed up on him a n d seized him
in the i r ar m s m ea n i n g to thro w the m selves
fro m the t ow er a n d th u s destroy him tho u gh
at the sa m e ti m e th ey lost their o wn lives bu t
C ortes w a s so stro n g a n d active tha t he got
a w ay fro m th e m a n d the u n for t u n ate y ou n
g
t h e n fell fro m the battle m e n t s a n d perished
w hile he re m ai n ed safe . Havi n g got pos ses
sio n of the te m ple the Spa n ra rd s set fire t o it
a n d b u r n ed it to the gr o u n d .
C ortes fin di n g t he I n dian s s o resolved On
fi ghti n g u n ti l they had destroyed all the S pa n
i a r ds th ough t he m u st g i ve u p th e hope of a n y
l o n ger kee pi n g th e c i ty a n d bega n t o m ake
m
s
f
f
.
d
e
reparati
to
leave
i
t
He
a
o
er
on s
p
bu t they replied to
o f peac e to the I n dia n s
the m w ith scorn sayi n g that they w o u ld n ever
l ea ve o ff fightin g u n til they ha d killed all the
S p an iar d s or dri ve n the m f romthe cit y . He
r esol ved to g o a w ay i n the n igh t , a s it w a s con
f the M exica ns to
trary to the an c ie n t c u sto m O
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98
ERNAN D O
LIF E OF
CORTEs.
H
fi ght except by day light a n d he tho u ght he
m ig ht get a w ay with o u t their k n o w ledge .
He took ou t all the treas ures w hich he had
collected together a n d h avi n g take n the por
ti o n w hich belo n ged t o the ki n g he l o a ded one
o f his horses w ith it a n d the n al l o w ed his m en
each to .ta k e as m u ch as he pleased . The m en
who ha d bee n w it h N arvaez havi n g had no
oppo rt u n ity b e fore to get a n y thi n g were very
gre edy o f the gold a n d all the men loade d
the m selves so he avily that their depart ure fro m
uch m or
the t o w n w a s m a d e m
e diffic u lt . Cor
tes had several priso n ers o f high ra n k whos e
li ves he w o uld have gladly saved . A m o n g
these w er e tw o da u ghters o f M o n tez u ma .
He place d the m in the m ost sec ure part o f his
ar m y . He had p repared a bridge m ade of
t i m ber which the m en carried alo n g to place
over parts of the roa d wh ere the bridges a n d
ca u se w ays had bee n broke n do w n . Havi n g
arra n ged every thi n g the Sp an iards le ft their
q u arters bu t they had n o t go n e far w he n the
M exican s disc overed the m a n d i m m e d iately
h u n dreds Of V o i ces sh o u te d in the M exi ca n
”
“
to n g u e they fly they fly 1
Great n u mbers of I n dia n s follo wed a n d a t
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LIF E OF H E RNANDO COR T E S .
tacked the S pa n iards . They had become so
desperate t hat "they did n o t w a it till the s un
aros e , that the y m ight a ttack their e n e mies
b u t fel l u po n th e m in the dark n ess of the n i ght
a n d while they w er e l oaded w
it h the spoils o f
the M ex i c an s . The first b reak i n the ca u se
h the Spa n iards reached they covered
w a y w hi c
w i th t heir ti m ber bri d ge a n d s u cceeded i n pas
si n g tho u g h sadly pr essed by their e n e m ie s ,
b u t the w eigh t of the people passi n g over wedg
that they
e d i t do wn so ti ghtly i n the m ud
it . I n t he m e an ti m e the
c o u ld n o t raise
n um ber o f M exica n s wa s co n st a n tly i n creasi n g
a n d presse d for w ard the Spa n iar d s fi g hti n g all
the ti m e w i th the greatest desperatio n "They
s oo n ca m e to a n other break i n the ca u se way
here they fo ug ht b u t great n u mber s o f S pa n
i a r d s w e re killed . A t la s t by S w i m m i n g a n d
w alki n g on the dead bodie s Of thei r co m pa u
i o n s C ort es w ith a part of his m e n reached
th e m ai n l a n d ; H avi n g arr a n ged his m en i n
So m
e order he w e n t back to the dreadful spot ,
a n d assis ted the re m ai n der t o get over . Great
n u m b er s how e ver w ere killed a n d m a n y m ad e
pris on e rs Al l t he I n di an p riso n ers w er e k il l e d
or ret ake n an d m a n y of the hor s e s we re kille d.
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1 00
LIFE
H ERNAND O C OR T E S .
OF
To add t o the i r ago n y they s a w tho s e of their
co m pa n io n s w ho w ere priso n ers carried Off to
be sacrificed to the god of w a r . A ll n i ht the
city w a s ill um i n ated it w a s so light they co u ld
see their co m pan i o n s c arried a way a nd co uld
hear their cri es so disti n ctly that they tho u ght
they co u ld disti n gu is h the voices o f their d if
fer en t co m pa n io n s . The t reas u re for w h ic h
the y ha d ve n t ured so m u ch w a s al l lost , a n d
ha d o n ly serve d to haras s a n d tro uble the m in
their flight . Bold a n d c r u el as C ortes w a s
his m en s a w him shed tears w he n the n ext
m or n i n g he s a w the w reck Of his brave ba n d
a n d looked back to the ci t y w here so m a n y o f
the m had s u ffered a n d w ere perhaps the n s uf
fer ing the m ost dreadful tort ures .
He haste n ed for w ard as fast as the s tate o f
h is men w o u ld perm i t t o e n ter the c o u n try Of
t he T l a s cal l a n s w ho m he hoped had r e m ai n ed
frie n dly to hi m . O n t his w ay hotve ver he
w a s m e t by a n other ar m y a n d his w earied a n d
w o u n d ed m en w ere co m pelled to resis t a ba n d
of n ative s w ho had n o t bee n e n gaged in the
late fight a n d w ere therefore free fro m fatigu e .
The I ndia n s fo u ght with great fu ry a n d the
S pan iards w ere a l most ready t o fai n t . A t thi s
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1 02
LIF
E
RNAND O CO RTES.
HE
OF
t im e give n the m to repose fro mtheir h a rd l a
bors a n d every thi n g they n eede d to h eal thei r
wo un ded soldiers a n d refresh the w ea ry w a s
f
ovided
o r the m by the k i n dn e s s a n d hosp i
r
p
tali ty Of the n atives .
Ha vi n g escaped fro m the great da n gers to
w hic h they had bee n exp osed m a n y of the fol
lo we rs Of C ortes especiall y t hose who had
z W i sh ed t o g o back to
c o m e o u t w ith N arva e
V era Cr uz a n d give u p the idea o f co n qu eri n g
Mexico . B ut C ortes had n o tho u ght of doi n g
th is . H e resolved t o co n ti n u e his a ttem pts to
co n qu er this great n atio n . He addressed his
5
people a n d tried to fill t heir m i n ds With t he
h opes w hic h a n i m ated his own . H e r esolved
to fi n is h the vessels w hich he had made pr e
ra tio n s for b u ildi n g . He se n t so m e o f the
a
p
s hi ps w hi ch bro ught o ut t he c o m pa n y Of N ar
va ez to S t . D o m i n go to try t o get m ore men
to co m e to his assistan ce a n d that his follo w e rs
mi g h t n ot get u n easy from havi n g n othi n g to
do he e m ployed the m in fighti n g w ith s Om e of
the I n dia n s who had attacked a n d killed pa r
tie s Of S pa n iards at the ti m e when N a rva ez
fi rst arrived a n d whe n they had hoped be
ca us e t hey foun d the S pa n iards disp ut in g wi t h
d
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LIF E
OF
ERNANDO C OR T E S .
1 03
H
a h other that they sho u ld be able to s uccee d
i n d rivi n g the m a w ay .
C ortes s e n t to Vera Cr u z t o get sail s a n d
t ackle for his vessels a n d W
a s r eoice d w it h
j
t he n e w s t h at several ships had arrived fro m
t he isla n ds arid fro m S pai n . Tho ugh they
w ere n ot s e n t o u t expressly for his relief a n d
s o m e of the m had eve n bee n fitted ou t by his
the hope Of doi n g him i nj ury
in
e n e m ies
C ortes m a n aged SO W ell that he co n trive d to
possessi
o
t
n o f t he m a n d felt hi m sel f m u ch
e
g
c o m forted at fi n di n g hi m sel f better provided
w i th men a n d horse s tha n he had ev er bee n
Si nc e his arrival i n M exico .
The Mexic an s a fter the de ath of M ontezum a
ha d m ade a ki n g of a relative of hi s n a m ed
Q uetl a va ca . H e had fortified t he city a n d
«
c arried o n the a tt ack as has bee n relate d . He
s ee m s t o have b e e n m uch m ore w ise a n d brave
th an M o n tez um a . In order to e n co urage the
m en t o fi ght he tol d the m that t hey sho uld
trib
te
year
n o t be obliged to pay a n
u
f
f
o
a
i
r
y
they j oi n ed the a my to fight agai n s t the Chris
r
an
t ia ns
e o ffered a re w ard to an
n e w ho
o
dh
y
s ho u l d kill a S pa n i ard ;
B ut he d id n ot lo ng
ret ai n the po w er w hich he se e m ed to k n o w so
e c
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1 04
LIFE
OF
HE RN AN D O
C OR TES.
to m an age ; he died of the S m all Pox
a disease which had never bee n k n o w n a m o n g
t he M exica n s u n til the arrival of the S pan iards .
A fter his death G u ati m ozi n a n other n ephe w
of M o n t ez um a w a s m ad e ki n g . H e appears
to have been brave a n d w ise a n d to have do n e
all that he co u ld to drive fro m his co u n try thi s
n ti n u ed the for tifi ca
o
co
w
e r ful e n e m y . He
p
ti o n s w hich Qu etl a va ca h ad beg un a n d en ;
co u ra ged his people to resis t the Spa n iards .
.
C o rtes n o w proposed to his m en to adva n c e
to w ard M exico . He m ade a speech tO the m
u rgi n g on the m the great n ess of the co n q uest
an d e n co uragi n g the m to atte m pt it . They
agreed to go a n d the ar m y passe d o n t o Tez
c u co . B ut there w ere som e of the m en Who
dreaded to e n co un ter a g ai n th e horrors fro m
w hich they had s o n arro wly escaped . They
s a w that C ortes w a s resol ve d to try to t ake the
c ity agai n a n d that there w a s n o W ay to pre
ve n t i t b u t by killi n g him . They m ade a plot
t o kill h im a n d the ti m e a n d m a n n er o f doi n g
it w ere fixed . B ut o n e of the men w ho had
bee n a n Ol d frie n d Of C ortes fel t his heart fail
at the tho u ght o f killi n g his co m m a n der a n d
he w e n t a n d told himall abo u t it . C ortes
w ell ho w
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LI FE
OF
H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
"
CH A PT E R
.
THE
ti m ber for the briga n ti n es w a s n ow pre
pared a n d C orte s d es patched S a n d ova l w ith a
pa rty of m en a n d a large n u m ber of the T a m
m e n es or I n dia n s w ho ca rry b urde n s to bri n g
t hem d Own to be l a un che d u pon t he lake
The
ti m ber a n d bo ards w ere all p repared for the
s hi s a n d by t he goo d m a n age m e n t of Sa n d o
p
val they reached T e z c u co in good o rder . Here
the m a t er ia l s w ere pu t together a n d m a de i n to
b riga n ti n es . C ortes the n prepared a c a n al by
Which t h ey c o u ld be la u nched o n th e lake .
This w a s do n e W i th s u cc ess a n d a pri est pro
n ou n ce d a blessi n g u po n each ship as it m ade
its w a y i n to the lake .
In eac h o f these vessels Corte s place d a
ca n no n a n d tw en ty fi Ve m en . He dete r m i n ed
to attack the city i n three pl a ces . Sa n doval
c o m m a n d ed on e of these parties A lvarado a n o
ther a n d Christoval de O lid the third C ortes
hi m self took the co m m a n d of the briga n ti n es .
A s they a dva n c ed t o w ard the capit a l they
broke do w n the aqu e d ucts which the hI ex ica n s
ha d co n tri ved to s u pply the cit y w i th water
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LIF E OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S .
07
the peo pl e
of the n eighbori n g to wn s had a l l
fl ed i n to the city for safety .
The fir s t atte m pt Of G u ati mozi n w a s to de
stroy the brigan ti n es . He se n t ou t a n i m m e n se
qua n tity of c a n oes which covere d t he face o f
the l ake all filled w ith ar m ed m en . They
ro w ed boldly t o w ard the briga n ti n es w hi ch
s tood still fo r the w a n t o f W i n d . B u t after a
s hort ti m e a fresh breeze S pr un g u
n d thes e
a
p
large vessels to the a m azem e n t Of the I n dia n s
the m idst of the ca
w ere carried forw ard i n to .
n oes , m a n y of w hi ch w ere u pset a n d ma n y of
the M exican s ki lled a n d take n priso n ers . The
partie s on shore p u she d for w ard b u t they w er e
r eceived w ith great fir m n ess a n d atta cked w ith
great fury . T hev kept up their attacks day
a n d n ig ht they b u r n ed m a n y h o u se s a n d t e m
pl es a n d the M exica n s s u ffered greatly for w a n t
of w ater a n d food b ut still they did n o t yiel d
w he n n u m bers were killed o thers c a m e for
w ard to take their places .
At last a n atte m pt w a s m ade t o take the
n by stor m the S pa n iards r u sh ed for w ar d
t OW
b u t in the i r zeal they n eglected to fill up the
break s in the ca u s ew ay b ehi n d the m . The
Me x ica n s discovered this a n d pre te ndi ng to
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LIFE
1 08
~
or
r-nm lvi t r
wo
C OR T E S .
fly they dre w the m farther i n t o the c i ty a n d
the n t ur n e d a n d attacke d the m w ith fury . The
S pa n iar ds n ow re treated at first i n a n orderl y
m an n er b u t the I n dia n s attacked the m w it h
s u ch fury that t hey w ere forced t o fly i n dis
o rder m a
n y w ere killed a n d m a n y w ere t ake n
pr i so n ers . The priso n ers w ho were ta k en
w ere killed as a sacrifi ce t o the gods .
Thi s de feat w a s ve ry sad to C ortes a n d i t
ca used m a n y of his I n dia n frie n ds to leave him
w c o u rage .
w hile it filled the M exi ca n s w ithhe
On e o f thei r prophets foretold thét i n eigh t
d ays the Span iards w o u ld b ee n ti rel y dest royed .
C orte s Ceased fro m fighti ng a n d kept on board
t he ships till after this ti m e had pas sed w he n
he bei n g in safety sho wed thi s pr ophe ey to b e
u n tr ue .
”
The siege had n ow co n ti n ue d fifty days C or
t es s en t m essa ges t o G u ati m ozi n to beg him to
u
ield
the
c
ity
that
it
m
ight
be
e
tirely
n
o
t
n
p
y
destroyed . The M exica n s re fu sed all o ffers of
pe ace w i th scorn altho u gh they w ere s u fferi n g
dread fully for the w a n t o f foo d a n d W a te r .
Th e fighti n g co n ti n ued a n d the S pa n iard s
pressed on by degrees u n til they ha d got po s
s e s si on o f a great p a r t o f the ci t y . Cor t eswa s
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1 10
LIFE
or
H ER NANDO C OR T E S
;
e xtre mely for the w a n t o f fo od a n d w ater
Cortes treat ed G uati m ozi n a t first w ith ki n d
desired him t o bid his m e n fi ght n o m or e
n ess
a n d to i n vite the m to assist i n reb u ildi n g t he
city .
The S pa n iards were filled with j oy at fi n di n g
the m selves m asters of the city after s uch a lo n g
C ortes dre w his briga n ti n e s
a n d bloody s iege .
a n d se n t to i n v i t e hi s I n dia n allie s
o n sh ore
to c om e a n d assist him i n reb uildi n g the city .
B u t after the first j oy w a s o ver the Sp a n iards
We re disappoi n ted i n fi n di n g b u t little treas u re
i n the city . I t w a s said t hat the e m peror w he n
he fo un d he co u l d n o t keep possessio n of t he
city had ordered his treas ures to b e s u n k in
the lake . The m en m u rm u red lo u dly at C or
te s an d he w a s s o i m patie n t t hat h e o rdered
the u n fort un ate e mperor a n d his favori te m in
ister to be cr u elly tort u re d that the severe pai n
they s uffered m ight m a ke the m tell w here the
treas ure w a s co n cea l ed . B ut n othi n g c o u l d
force the brave G uati m ozi n to speak . Perhaps
he ha d n othi n g to tell . His fa vo ri te i n th e
ago n y of s ufferi n g t u r n ed to hi s m a s t er a look
“
to k n o w if he sho uld te ll . A m I on a bed of
”
ros es sai d the s u fferi n g pri n ce . The favorit e
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L IF E
or
N AN D G C ORTES .
HRR
1 11
ked n othi n g m ore b u t bore his s u fferi n gs in
s il e n ce .
C o rtes w a s asha m ed of this cr u elty a n d r e
l ie ve d G ua ti m ozi n fro m the tort ure ; b u t the
actio n w as so cr u el a n d w icked th a t w hoever
reads the story of C orte s w ill gr i eve that a
m a n w ho tho u g ht hi m self a n d w a s I n deed so
brave sh ou ld be the a uthor o f s u ch cr uel ty .
F in din g they co u ld n o t ob t ai n the tre as u re for
w hic h t hey had s u ffered so m uch the Spa n
i ard e e m ployed the m selve s i n reb u ildi n g the
city . C ortes b u ilt for hi m sel f a ho u se on the
s pot w here the palace of M on tez u m a had for m
er y sto o d .
While C ortes w a s gai n i n g th us a grea t em
p i re he had n ever r e ce ed a n y reg ular po w er
t otake the c o m m a n d of the c o un try fro m the
e m peror . N arvaez a n d Ve lasqu ez a n d other s
w ho w ere his e n e m i es h ad m ade c o m plai n t s ,
a n d t old storie s that w ere n o t tr u e abo u t him ,
a n d at las t the e m p eror co n cl u ded to se n d so m e
o n e o u t to M exico to see the state o f thi n g s
C hristoval de
a nd t o take the place of C ortes .
Ta pi a wa s appoi nted to this o ffi ce w ith po w er
t o t a ke posse ssio n o f the property o f C orte s
as
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LIFE
a nd
se n d
Spai n .
Tapia
an
OF
HE RN AN DO
C OR T E S .
acc o u n t of the stat e of thi n g s t o
rive d b u t he w a s a v ery w eak m a n
a n d n o m atch for s u ch a o n e as C ortes .
C orte s
prete n ded t o s ubm it to the orders of the e m pe
ror bu t he co n trived t o ha ve thi n gs in s u ch a
s ta t e that Tapia co u ld n o t decide w hat wa s
best to do a n d fi n ally co n cl uded to leave the
I n the ha n ds of C ortes .
o
er
w
p
C ortes the n se n t his ow n acco u n t s to co u rt .
C harles w a s dazzled w ith his great co n q u ests
a n d the speci m e n s of the treas u re s a n d m a n u
fa ct ures of the co u n try ; a n d n ot w ithstan di n g
the stories of his e n e m i es the e m peror m ade
him Captai n Ge n eral of the ar m y a n d G o v
ern o r of N ew S pai n .
With this n ew a u th ority he w e n t o n w ith
“
great vigor . H e searched for m in es o f gold
"
a n d m ade d iscoveries of n e w co u n tries . B u t
he w a s very cru el a n d arbitrary in hi s trea tm en t
of the n atives . A s m i g ht have bee n expec te d
they did n o t all q uietly s u b m it to the n ew r u lers
so m eti m es atte m pts w o u ld be m a d e to rise
agai n st the m . These atte m pts w ere al w ays
cr u elly p un ished . O n so m e slight prete n ce of
this ki n d the e m peror G uati m ozi n a n d seve ra l
ar
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1 14
LIFE
er n m en t o f
or
H ERNAND O
C CRr Es .
M exico sec ured t o hi m . B u t this
the e m peror w a s n o t w illi n g to gra n t . The
gover n m e n t of N e w Spai n w a s give n to a body
of m en to be called the A udie n ce of N e w Spai n .
The e m p eror b e s to wed u po n C ortes a provi n ce
o f M exico a n d sho w ed hi m m a n y o t her fa vors .
D uri n g the ti m e C ortes had been in Mexi co
the l ady w ho m he h ad m arr i ed i n C uba had
died . O n his ret ur n to Spa i n he w a s m ar ried
a gai n t o the L a d y Ja n e Z u n rg a the da u ghter
of the d uke of Ag u ila a lady of n oble fa m i l y .
On her he besto w ed the sple n did j e w els w hich
he had ga i n ed in hi s M exica n w ars a n d hav
i n g settle d his a ffa i rs in his n ati ve c o u n try he
retu r n ed w ith his n ew wife to M exico .
He arr i ved safely a t Vera Cr uz . M a n y peo
ple flocked to m ee t him a n d m a n y co m plai n ts
w ere m ade to hi m of the J ud ge s of the Board
o f A u d ie n ce . S o m e of the people proposed to
C ortes to take the go ver n m e n t i n to his o w n
ha n ds a n d o ffered t o assist hi m in killi n g the
o fficers of the ki n g . But C ortes refu sed to do
this . Th e Board ho w ever w ere afraid tha t
C ortes wo u ld take to o m u ch po w er to hi m self
a n d tho u gh t of seizi n g him . B ut C ortes pro
clai m ed hi m sel f Captai n G e n eral a n d p ublished
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LIFE OF H E RNANDO C OR T E S .
15
the letters of the e m peror w hich gave him this
a u thority . H e w e n t t o T ez c uco b ut the o ffi
c ers of the e m peror w ho feare d him se n t him
orders n o t to go t o M exi co . He re m ai n ed
therefore at Te z cu co bu t li ved with great po m p
a n d display of po w er .
The I n dia n s c o uld n o t help seei n g that the
Spa n i ards did n ot agree very w ell toge ther this
m ade the m feel so m e hope of getti n g rid of
the m . They there fore w o u ld occ a sio n all y
attack a n d kill parties of S pan iards . The
P reside n t of t he A u di en ce tried in vai n to stop
these disorder s a n d k n ow i n g the a u th ori ty
C orte s ha d over the n atives a n d t he fe ar they
had of hi m he se n t for C ortes t o c o m e to Mex
ico that he m ight c o n s ult w ith him w hat he
had bet t er do to s top these disorders . C orte s
soo n s u cceeded in restori n g thi n g s to a qu iet
state .
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C H A PT ER
"
I.
A s m a n y di ffic u lties arose un der this for m
of gover nm e n t i n 1 534 An tp m o de Me n doza
,
,
LIFE OF H ERNANDO C OR T E S.
1 16
ppoi n ted V iceroy of N e w Spai n . He
carried ou t w ith hi m m a n y w ork m e n i n tro d uc
e d the m aki n g o f silk a n d plan ted m ulberry
trees for food for the silk w or m s . C ort es ha d
s o m e dis p u tes w ith the V icero y abo u t a part of
a pro vm ce in M exico t o w hich they both lai d
clai m . C orte s e m ployed hi m self in tryi n g to
m a k e d is co ver i es ; on on e of hi s expeditio n s
he disco vered C alifor n i a .
His dispu tes with the V i ceroy a n d a la ws u it
w hich he had abo u t so m e of his po ssessio n s
w ith .Villa L obos m ade C ortes resolve to go
agai n to Spai n . He ar rived there i n the year
1 5 40 a n d bro ught w ith him a s on n am ed
M arti n a ged eight years a n d a n other n a m e d
L u is . He ca rried w ith him gre a t riches tho u gh
no t s o m u ch as w he n he la st visited his n ative
c o u n try .
The e m peror w a s e n gaged in w ar fare a w ay
frOm Spai n . C ortes follo w ed hi m w ith his
so n s to the ca m p . B u t tho u gh the e m pero r
received him ki n dly he w a s m ortified to fi n d
that his advice w a s n o t m i n de d so m u ch as tha t
of yo u n ger m en a n d less experie n ce d captai n s .
On this expeditio n he ca m e n ear losi n g hi s
li fe while o ut in a galley w hich w a s d rive n
wa s
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1 18
LIFE OF H ERN ANDO C OR T E S .
”
thi n gs happe n ed m a n y y ears ago a n d at that
t i m e n a tio n s w ho called the m selves C hris tia n s
tho ught they did right to co n q u er n atio n s who
w ere n o t C hristia n s i n order th a t the y m ight
m ake the m beco m e s o . Thi s w a s the i r pre
te n ce the real c a u se w a s the desire to gai n the
gold a n d treas u res w hich u n happily for the
p oo r I n dian s w ere fo u n d i n t heir co u n try .
Happily for tho s e w ho live n o w the Chris
tia n religio n has bee n slo w ly b u t s u rely m aki n g
people w iser a n d better so that s uch t hi n gs as
w er e the n tho u ght rig ht w o uld n o t be allo w ed
a n d m en n o w try to c o n vert heathe n n atio n s
n o t by cr u elty a n d m u rder bu t by tryi n g to
S ho w the m ho w m uch better a n d happier the
C hrist ia n religio n m akes m e n .
The ig n ora n c e of the age i n w hich he lived
m a y also serve a s a n exc u se for so m e of the
cru elties a n d falsehoods which blot the C harac
ter of C ortes . He w a s a brave patie n t w ise
pr u de n t a n d a religio u s m an after the fash io n
of his d a y . I f he had lived in be tter ti m e s
a n d bee n better ta u ght w e m a y hope h e w o uld
have bee n as good a s he w a s bold a n d dar in g .
The co un try of M exico so m e years S i n ce
t hre w o ff the po w er o f S pai n . I t has s i n c e
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LIFE
H ERNANDO COR T E S
OF
;
bee n t he sce n e of m a n y re vol u tio n s a n d the
govern m e n t i s n o t n o w c o n sidered as bei n g
fi rm ly fixed . A decr ee w a s passed n ot lo n g
si n ce co m pelli n g every n ative Spa n iard to leave
M exic o .
Tho u gh C ortes s ucceeded probably beyo n d
his h opes i n c o nqu eri n g the co un try o f Mexi co
his o wn li fe wa s on e of toil a n d disappoi n t
m e n t . He s aw others e m ployed to gover n a n d
di r ect the a ffairs of the co u n try w hich he had
g a m ed fo r S pa m a n d hi s last d ays like those
of C ol u m b u s w ere spe n t i n tedio u s w a iti n g
a n d h o i n g that the e m peror w o u ld at last a c
p
k n o w le d ge the j u stic e o f his clai m s .
Th e c o u n try of Old S pai n m a y be c o n side r
ed as severely p un ished for all the cri m es w hich
w ere co m m i tted i n the c o n q u est of the N e w.
F or m a n y years after the discovery of the ne w
w orld tho ugh great treas u res o f go ld w ere
po u red i n t o S pai n a ll i ts e n ergies a n d its m ost
e n ergetic m en w ere carried a w a y fro m it b y
the zeal for n ew d i s cover v. T he ar ts a n d im
r o ve m e nt s of life w ere n eglected a n d the co un
p
try i s said to b e at this ti m e fas behi n d the
rest of E urope I n all tha t m akes li fe com fo r ta
ble a n d happy .
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120
LIFE OF H ERNANDO
CO RTE s .
The govern m e n t of the co u n try is carried on
i n the n a m e of a little girl o f n o t m ore tha n
’
t w elve years of age . Her fathe r s brother i s
tryi n g to get the po w er a w ay fro m her a n d the
people are divide d i n to tw o parties those w ho
w ish to s u p port the Q uee n a n d tho se w ho are
in favor of her u n cle Do n C arlos . E ach of the
t w o part ies has a n ar m y the soldiers o f w hic h
are co n sta n tly fighti n g a n d destroy i n g each
other . An d M exico w he n it s uffered m ost s e
m
u elty a n d avaric e of the
v erel
fro
the
cr
y
S pa niards co uld hardly h ave bee n in a m ore
sad state than i s n ow the bea utifu l co un try o f
S pai n .
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LIF E
OF
F R A N C I S C O P I Z A RR O.
C H A PT E R I .
F RAN C I SC O PIZARRO wa s bor n i n S pai n abo u t
the ye ar
He Wa s the s o n of a n h o no ra
ble ge n tle m a n b ut hi s m oth e rw a s of l ow birth
a n d a n ig n ora n t
u n ed u cate d perso n . Hi s fa
ther took n o pa i n s to give his s o n such i n str uo
ti o n as w o u ld e n abl e hi m t o rise in society
ab ove the ra n k o f his m other but e m ployed
hi m w he n h e w a s yo u n g i n taki n g care of
pigs . Pizarro w a s of a bold a m bitio u s te m
per a n d he soo n gre w tired o f this d is a gre ea
ble e m ploy m e n t . A s he had n o t bee n careful
l y t a ught he probably di d riot k n o w t hat it w a s
w ro n g t o disobey his father a n d he left hi s
b u si n ess a n d w e n t a w ay i n t o I taly a n d j oi n ed
the ar m y w hic h w a s figh ti n g there a n d be
body
c a m e a sold ier . He had a very st ro n g
a n d a patie n t a n d co u rageo u s s pi r i t . He w a s
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12 4
LIFE
OF F
R AN C I SC O P I ZARRO .
ble to bear great fatig ue s of body b ut he d id
n o t k n o w ho w t o read a n d w rite .
Ho w l o n g he re m ai n ed i n I t aly is n o t k n o w n
b ut i n the y ear 1 52 4 he fo u n d hi m se l f i n Pa n
a m a in A m eric a . He had j oi n ed s o m e of the
w hich at th at period w ere co n
e xpeditio n s
s t a n tl
l
Spai
for
the
N
ea v m g
n
ew W orld .
y
A fter the ocea n w est of A m eric a had bee n
fo u n d o u t several voyages of discovery ha d
bee n m ade i n that directio n , b u t as yet n o o n e
had s u ccee ded I n disco v eri n g a n y thi n g of im
porta n ce . The c o u n try o n the w ester n co a st
of A m eri c a did n o t see m very pro m isi n g th e
i n habita n ts w ere few a n d gold appeared to b e
s carce .
Pizarro ho w e ver w a s very d esiro u s t o try
his fort u n e in t his regio n . He w a s e n co u raged
i n hi s pla n s by Pe d rarias w ho w a s a t that ti m e
the gover n o r of Pa n a m a . He for m e d a n a c
q u a in ta n c e w i th t w o m e n w ho h ad the sa m e
desire a s he had to m ake discoveries in thi s
part of the w orld . O n e of these m en w a s n a m
ed D iego A l m a gro,a sol d ie r the other w a s a
p riest a n d w a s n a m ed Her n a n do d e L uq u e .
They all three had so m e m o n ey w hich they
Were Willi n g to spe n d in this vo y age . Pizarro
a
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LIFE
OF
FR AN C I SC O P I ZARRO .
They to u ched at several places o n Terra
F i rm a . The co u n try d id n o t look very i n vi t
i n g so m e o f the i n habita n ts w ere w arl ike a n d
opposed the m . They s uffered for th e w a n t of
food a n d their c o n tests with the n ati ves . The
m en beca m e w eary a n d disco n te n te d a n d Pi
zarro at last retired to the isla n d of Ch u c u m a
o pposite the Pearl I sla n d s w here he pr eposed
to re m ai n a w hile to rest his m en a n d w
here
h e h oped he s he ul d be met by s o m e vessels
fro m Pa n a m a bri n gi n g s upplies .
A short ti m e after Pi zarro sailed fro m Pa n
a m a A l m agro had follo w ed i n a n other vessel
he had take n the sa m e c o u rse w hi ch Pizarro
had do n e a n d had had thesa m e fort un e . They
at last m e t at the I sla n d w here Pizarro was r e
posi n g h i m self. The m en reco u n ted to each
other their a dve n t ures . A l m agro had go ne
farther so uth tha n Pizarro had do ne . He ha d
bee n as far as the co u n try of Popaya n so u th
east o f w ha t is n o w called N e w Gre n a d a . Th is
co un try see m ed m ore pro m isi n g a n d the co m
pa n i o n s res olved to t ry agai n in the sa m e r e
gi o n .
A l m agro w e n t back to Pa n am a t o ge t m ore
m en a n d s u pplies b u t wh en he reached there
w ay .
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LI FE
R N C IS C O P I Z ARRO .
F A
OF
127
‘
the
ac co u n t s w hich w ere g i ve n by the m en
who ha d bee n w ith h im w ere so bad that peo
l
e w ere d isco u r a ged fro m
o
i
i
g
n
n
a
n
w
x
e
e
e
p
j
p
d iti o n i n a d irecti o n w here those w hO had j u s t
c o m e back had s u ffered so m u ch . I t wa s w it h
great di ffic ul ty that A l m a g ro raised eighty m en .
Wi th the s e he s u ccee d ed in j oi n i n g Pizarro
a n d after ma n y di ffi c u lties a n d disappoi n t m e n ts
they reach ed the B ay of S t. M a t t he w o n the
co ast of Q ui to . T hey la n ded a t T a ca m ez
a n dl fo u n d a be tter co u n try th a n they had see n
in t he so u the r n o ce a n . The i n habita n t s w ere
el o the d i n gar m e n ts of w oolle n or c otto n
an d
w ere or n a m en ted w ith trin kets of gold a n d sil
ver . The forces Of the S pa ni ards w ere so s m all
that Pizarro di d n o t thi n k it w o uld be safe t o
a tta ck a peop l e w ho see m ed s o i n tellige n t a n d
po werful ; he therefore retired to the s m al l
I sla n d of Gallo . A l m agro wen t back t o Pa n
an d
a m a , to tell o f the n atio n they had fo un d
try t o ge t m ore m en a n d Pizarro re m a i n ed
w it h a part Of the m en on the I sla n d .
B u t t ho u gh A l m agro a n d P i z arro had great
z eal abo u t their expedi tio n , so m e of their men
ha d beco m e di sco u rage d a n d s e n t private a o
s a n d fatig u e s
c o un t s to Pa n a m a o f the su fferi n g
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LI FE OF FRAN C I S C O P IZARRO .
128
they had u n d ergo n e . A n e w gover n or ha d
take n the place of Pedrarias a n d he i n stead
of tryi n g to gai n m ore forces fo r the expedi
tio n refu sed to allo w A l m agro to ret u r n . He
s e n t o u t a vessel to bri n g Pizarro a n d his co m
pa n i o n s back . By this vessel A l m agro a n d
Lu qu e se n t pri vate m essages t o Pizarro beg
m
n o t to give u p the expediti on a n d
i
n
i
h
g g
u rgi n g him n o t to co m e back to Pa n a m a .
W he n the ship arrived at the Is la n d of G allo
w here Pi zarro w a s he refu sed to go back t o
Pa n a m a an d t ried to pers uade his m en to re
m ai n a n d go w i th him t o co n q u er the n atio n s
they had see n b ut w he n the m e n s a w the ship
a n d tho ught of their ho m e s they c o u ld n o t be
p ers u ade d to j oi n i n his pla n s . Piz arro d re w
sa
n d w ith hi s s w ord a n d tol d his
a li n e o n t h
e
m e n that t hos e w ho w ished to ret ur n co u ld
He w a s grieved an d m ortified
c ross the l i n e .
t o fi n d o n ly thirtee n w illi n g t o stay w it h hi m .
This little ba n d fixed their res i d e n ce in the
I slan d of Gorgo n a w here t hey tho ught they
s ho u ld be safe a n d w here Piz a rro resolved t o
s tay hopi n g th a t A l m agro a n d L u q u e w o uld
be able i n ti m e to get m en a n d ships to carry
o n their pla n s .
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LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
1 30
They sailed to t he so u th east a n d i n t w e n ty
d a y s fro m le avi n g Gorgo n a they d iscovered
the coast of Per u . The y la n ded at T um bez
three degrees so u th of theeq uator . H ere they
fo u n d l ofty te m ples a n d a palace of the I n cas
o r r u ler s of the co u n try . The S pa n iards w ere
a m azed at the r i ch n ess of the Per uvian e m p i re .
T he i n ha b i tan ts w ere very n u m ero u s . The
w
n d u strio u s .
looked
as
if
they
ere
i
co ri ntr
y
They w ere w ell clothed appeared m ore skilful
i n w hat the y m a n u fact u red tha n a n y other
S o u t h A m erica n n atio n they had yet see n .Th ey
ha d also ta m e do m es tic a n i m als a n d gold a n d
silver w a s very ple n ty .
’
Pizarro s hopes w ere fulfilled in fi n di n g him
self i n s u ch a rich co u n try . B ut he wa s afr a id
to try to co n q uer it w ith so fe w people a s he
had w i th him . He co a sted a lo n g the co u n try
occas i o n ally la n di n g . He p r oc u re d s o me of
t he L la m as
or ta m e c attle of the c o u n try .
T hese the Spa n iards call e d she e p tho ugh they
b e a r n o g re a t rese m bla n ce to the a n i m als of
that n a m e a m o n g u s . P i z a rro collec ted m a n y
vessels of go l d a n d silver a n d took w i th him
t w o yo un g m e n who m he i n te n de d to i n str uc t
i n the Spa nish la n g u age t hat they m i g h t serve
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LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
13 1
i n terpreters wit h th is ca rgo he w e n t b a ck
to Pa n a m a havi n g bee n ab s e n t three years .
F e w m e n h ave S ho w n greater patie n ce a n d
pers evera n ce tha n P izarro in thi s lo n g ti m e
w ith s o li ttle t o ch eer a n d e n co u rage him a n d
w hile he w a s s ufferi n g so m u ch fro m w a n t a n d
fatig u e .
The gover n or of Pa n a m a wa s n o t w illi n g to
a ssi s t the three co m pa n io n s I n raisi n g men a n d
s upplies t o c o n qu er this n e w co un try b ut they
resol ved that they w o u ld n o t give u p t he eh
terpr i s e . They m a d e a n ew agree m e n t ar
ran g i n g that Piz arro sho u l d be the gover n o r
A l ma g ro the lie u te n a n t gover n or a n d L u q u e
bishop o f the n e w c o u n try . They raise d m o
to fit o u t a
n e y tho ugh w ith so me di ffic u lty
ship that they m ight se n d to Spai n a n d t ry
t o get assista n c e fro m the govern m e n t there
to car r y on their pla n .
Pizarro w e n t ou t in the ship to m a n age th e
e
a ffairs o f the c o m pa n y . He m ade hi s voy a j
g
m
n
s
a
ety
n
d
prese
ted
hi
self to the e m pe
a
f
n
i
ror. He told the story of the n e w c ou n try
si m ply bu t ear n estly . He described h i s s u ffer
i n gs a n d those of hi s co mpa n io n s but he wa s
w illi n g to ru n the ri sk o f these a n d e ve n g re a ter
as
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LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZ ARRO .
1 32
to be the m ea n s of addi n g to t he posse ssio n s of
his c o un t ry this la n d w hich wa s rich i n every
thi n g desirable a n d abo u n de d in s ilver a n d
g eld .
The e m peror a n d his m i n isters liste n ed w ith
favor to the s t or y of Pizarro . They exa m i n e d
the speci m e n s of the prod u ctio n s of Per u w hich
he had bro ugh t w ith him a n d they a pp roved
of the expeditio n to co n q u er the co un t ry a n d
a greed to give t o Pizarro
all the privileges
w hich he asked . Pizarro w a s s o pleased w it h
his s u ccess that he forgot his frie n ds w itho u t
w hose assista n ce he w o u ld n ever have bee n
able to go as far as he ha d do n e in exec u ti n g
his favori te plan s . H e ca u sed hi m self to be
m ade gover n or C aptai n Ge n eral a n d Ad m ir al
of the w h ole co u n try which he ha d discovered
w ith a right to all the pri v ileges u s ually give n
or pro mi sed t o be give n to n e w d isc overers .
His r u le w a s to reach t w o h un dred leagu e s
alo n g the coast so uth o f the ri ver S t . Jago .
He w a s to be i n depe n de n t of the govern or o f
Pa n a m a . H e asked n o favors for his frie n d
A l m agro except that he sho uld have the com
m a n d of a fort w hich it w a s proposed sho ul d
be b uilt at T um bez. T his wa s very unj us t i n
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LIFE OF FR AN C I SC O P IZA RR O .
1 34
m ight
have take n a w a y fro m him the o ffices
w hich had bee n give n to him .
Before he sailed ho w ever he received so m e
m o n ey to help for w ard his pla n s fro m C ortes
w ho happe n ed to be at that ti m e i n S pai n .
C ortes had w a n ted help so m u ch w he n he first
began his disc o veries that he t ook a n i n terest
—
i a on e w ho m he s aw e n g aged i n the sa m e a d
ve n tu res . C ortes k n e w Pizarro a n d tho ught
that he wa s so resol u te a n d perse veri n g he
w o uld certai n ly su cceed i n what he un dertook .
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C H A PT E R II .
PI Z ARRO m ade his voyage sa fely . He lan ded
a n d marched across the
a t N o m bre de D ios
I sth mu s w ith his three brothers F erdi n a n d
’
J u a n a n d Gon zalo a n d his m other s brother
F ra n cisco A l c an tara . A l m agro w a s very a n
gry w he n he fo u n d how badly Pizarro had
treated him in taki n g t o hi m self all the ho n ors
o n l y the
a n d co m m a n d a n d l ea vm g to hi m
r u le of on e little fort which w a s n o t yet b u ilt .
He d eclared he w ou ld ha ve n othi n g m ore to do
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LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
1 35
w i th
the expedi tio n . Bu t Pizarro w a s very
a rtfu l a n d c o n tr i ved t o m ake u
the
q
u arrel
p
w it h h i s old frie n d he o ffe red to give u p to
hi m so m e of his o ffic es a n d pro m ised t o j oi n
him i n aski n g for a sep a rat e gover n m e n t for
A l m agro w he n they sho uld have c o n q u ered t he
co u n try . L u q u e w a s satis fied as he had got
all that he had desire d a n d the t hree frie n ds
at last w ere rec o n ciled a s before a n d ag ree d to
carry o n the expeditio n t ogether .
B ut wi th the e ffort s of all three they c o uld
o n ly raise three s m all vessels a n d o n e h u n dr e d
a n d eight y soldiers of w ho m th i rty six w ere
hor s e m e n . B ut P i zarro d id n o t fear to set ou t
w ith this forc e to co n q u er a co u n try w hich
fro m w hat he h ad see n of it he k n e w m u st be
rich a n d po werful . The ti m e of the year w a s
favorable for the v oyage . In thi rtee n days
they reache d the coast of Per u . The c u rre n ts
carried the m so m e dis ta n ce n orth of T u m bez
a nd Pi zarro l an ded his tr o o ps i n the Bay of S t .
M atthe w . He adva n ced to the so u th keep in g
The c o u n try proved t o be cold
o n the coas t
a n d so m e o f the m e n s uffe red fro m sick n ess .
The in habita n ts w ere n ot n u m ero u s a n d Pizarro
i nstead o f tryi n g t o m ake frie nds W i th the m
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LIF E OF FRAN C I SC O P IZAR RO .
1 36
a t tacked the m w he n ever he m et the m . T he
m e n fro m bei n g e xposed to the cold a n d i n their
c o n tests w ith the n ati ve s
s u ffered al m ost a s
severely as in the first expeditio n .
A t le n gth they reached C oaq u e a n d s urpr i sed
the pr i n c i pal settle m e n ts of the n ati ves . They
seized o n the gold a n d S ilver vessels a n d or n a
m e nt s w ith w hich the ho u ses a n d te m ples w ere
The sigh t of this large q uan tity of trea
fi lled
s u re cheered the heart s of the m e n a n d revive d
their hopes w hich h ad beg u n to fail . Pizarro
se n t on e of his vessels back to Pa n a m a loaded
w ith treas ures to A l m agro . He also se n t l arge
prese n ts to other people of n ote in N icara gua
hopi n g by thi s m ea ns to i n d u ce the m to j oi n i n
t he expe d itio n a n d he l p to co n q u er the co u n
try . He co n ti n u e d t o m arch a l o n g the coast
atta cki n g the n atives every where . They fled
i n terror fro m this party o f Str a n g e r s a n d Pi
zarro seized on their treas u re s . He hardly m et
w ith a n y resista n ce fro m the u n fort un a te peo
ple u n til he reached P u n a i n the Bay of G uy a
q u il . Here the n atives were m ore fierc e a n d
w arl ike a n d Pizarro S pe n t six m o n ths i n s u b
d u i n g the m . F ro m P u n a he w e n t to.T u m b ez
w here he w a s obliged to re m ai n three m o n ths ,
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LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZAR RO.
1 38
ta n ce run n i n g n orth a n d so u t h. A ccordi n g t o
the traditio n s of the co u n t ry it w a s fo r m erly
i n habited by s m all tribes w hic h w ere i n de pen d
These peo ple w ere very i g
e n t of each other .
A fter so m e ti m e a m a n
n ora n t a n d u n civilized .
o m a n appeared o n the borders of L ake
and a w
T i tia ca . They w ere n obly for m ed a n d w ore
dece nt clothes . T hey said that they w ere the
ch i l dre n of the S u n w ho w a s the m aker of all
thi n gs . T he y stay ed w ith the peo ple a n d ta u ght
the m ho w t o beco m e c ivilized . S everal of the
s j o i n ed together u n der their r u le a n d b uilt
t rib e
the city o f C uzco . The m a n w a s n a m ed Ma n
go C a pec a n d the w o m a n M a m a C coll o . The
m a n ta u gh t the m e n ho w to c u ltivate the gro u n d
e n ho w to
a n d the w o m a n i n str u cted the w o m
They m ade m a n y w ise la w s
s pi n a n d w eave .
which the people obeyed carefu lly .
This w a s the fo un d atio n o f the e m pire o f the
I n cas of Per u a ccordi n g to the tra d iti o n of the
n ative s . A t firs t their a u thority did n o t ext en d
fa r n o t re a chi n g m ore tha n eight leag ues fro m
C u zc o ; b ut i n their sm all do m i n io n they w ere
m os t strictly obeyed a n d n ot o n l y w ere the In
c a s o beyed they w ere revere d as gods . They
n ever w ere j oi n ed to a n y other fa m ilies in m a r
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LIFE OF FR AN C I SC O P IZA RR O.
1 39
They w ore a pec ul iar dress a n d deco
r a ted the m selv e i n a d iffe r e n t m a n n er fro m a n
y
There had bee n t w elve m o n arch s of
o n e else .
this race w ho are al l S aid to have bee n good
a n d r u led their people j u stly a n d ki n d l y .
Whe n t he S pa n i a r d s first arrive d o n t heir
1
6
2
ear
5
H
the
u a n a C apac
s hores i n the
y
t w elfth I n ca r u led the co un try . H e w a s n o t
o n ly a w ise r u le r b u t w a s of a wa rl ik e disposi
tio n a n d ha d co n qu ere d the provi n ce of Q u ito
a nd li ved i n the capital of that Co u n try . H e
see m s to have liked the co u n try w hi ch he had
s u bd u ed for n ot w i th s ta n di n g i t w a s the l a w o f
the e m pir e th at the In c as shou ld n o t m a rry
a n y b u t their o wn r e l a ti o n s w ho w ere desce n ded
fro m the sa m e a n cestor h e had m arried the
d a u ghter of the pri n c e of Q ui to ; w ho m he had
c o n qu ered .
H e d ied in 1 52 9 leavi n g the ki n gdo m of
Q uito t o his s on A tah u alpa whcis e m other w a s
the pri n cess of that ki n gd o m w ho m he had ma r
ried . He left t he rest of the ki n gdo m to his
elde st s on H uascar w hose m other w a s on e of
the r o y a l ra ce . T ho u gh the people respecte d
the m e m ory o f H u an a C a pec ver y m u ch yet
they tho ught it so w ro n g fo r h im to have marri ed
r ia g e .
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LIFE
OF
F R AN C I SC O P I Z ARRO .
a pri n cess of the S un that they
e n co u raged the el d er brother H u ascar to try to
t a ke the part of the k i n gdo m w hich hi s father
had left him a w ay fr o m his brother A tah ualpa .
B u t the y o u n ger bro ther had at hi s c o m m a n d
a large ar m y , the m o s t val u able soldiers i n
Per u a n d w ith thi s he fel t so stro n g that he
r e fu s ed to obey the o r d e r s t o give u p his po w er
w hich H u as car se n t hi m a n d m arched w ith his
ar m y to attack his brother .
Th u s w a s a civil wa r beg un in Per u. A ta b u
alpa havi n g the best ar m y d efeated his brother .
He tried to m ake his title s ure by m u rderi n g all
the childre n of the S u n the desce n da n ts of
lVI a n g o C apec w ho m he co uld fi n d . He had
take n his brother H u ascar priso n er b u t he did
n o t t ake a w ay hi s li fe beca u se he k n e w that
m a n y of th e pe ople tho u ght he wa s th e rightfu l
ki n g a n d he co u ld m ake H uascar give o u t s uch
orders as he pleased w hich the peopl e w o uld
obey . Th u s did the qu arrels of these tw o bro
thers ope n a w a y for the Span iards to overr un
a n d s u b d ue the w hole of their ric h a n d po w er
ful e m pire w h ich they n ever co u ld have d o n e
had the P er u via n s co n ti n ued u n ited . This w a r
w a s goi n g o n whe n Pizarro a rrived i n S t .M a t
any on e
b ut
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LIFE
OF
FRAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
at that place w ith a co n siderable ar m y . A s they
approached the Per u v i a n e n ca m p m e n t, the y
w ere m e t by officers se n t o u t by A tah u alpa
beari n g prese n ts a n d bri n gi n g ki n d m ess age s
fro m the pri n ce . Pizarro replied that he ca m e
fro m a po werfu l pri n ce w ho w o u ld help A ta
h ualpa to co n qu er his e n e m ies .
T he I n ca believed this report a n d resolved
t o receive the n ew co m ers ki n dly . P izarro
w a s therefore allo w ed to e n ter i n to the heart o f
the c o u n try w ith his s m all ar m y . The road
p asse d thro u gh s u ch n arro w a n d di ffic u lt places
that if the Per u vian s had bee n dispose d they
m ight have falle n u po n the Spa n i ards a n d des
tr o y e d the m e n tirely . They adva n ced ho w e v e r
u n dist u rbed a n d took possessio n of a fort w hic h
had bee n b u il t to prot ec t C a xa m a l ca . T hey
received n e w m essages of frie n dship fro m the
I n ca as they app roached the fort . At Ca x a
m alca P izar ro took possessio n of a large co urt
i n w hich w a s a ho u se belo n gi n g to the I n cas .
Here he arraye d his troops in a safe or d er a n d
havi n g d o n e this he se n t his tw o b r othe rs to
the c a m p of A ta hu alpa . He i n vited the pri n ce
to visit hi m in his q u a rters that the y m ight
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LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZARR O .
143
talk abo u t the state of the c o un try a n d see w hat
w o u ld be best to do to restore i t to pe ace .
The brothers w ere treated w ith great hospi
tality . A tah u al pa p ro m i sed to V i s i t Pizarro the
n ext d a y .
The m esse n gers w ere feasted at
tables w hich w ere filled w ith gold a n d silver
v essels a n d the great ab un da n ce of gold a n d
S ilver w hich they s a w ex cee de d a n ythi n g w hich
they had ever before see n or heard of.
O n their ret u r n to Ca x a m a l ca they gave to
the i r co u n try m e n s u ch a n acc o u n t of the w ealth
of the P eru via n ca m p th at Pizarro n otw i th
sta n di n g his pr ofess ro n s o f frie n dship resolved
to sei ze th e m o n ar ch a n d take possessio n o f his
t reas u res . He re m em bere d how C or tes had
seized M o n te zu m a a n d he tho u ght that he sho uld
m u ch m ore easily co n q u er the c o un try if the
pri n ce w ere i n his po w er . The co n q u erors o f
that t i m e see m ed to have n o pr in ci ple of j u s t ice
or ho n esty b u t tho u gh t they w ere righ t to seize
on w ha t eve r they co u ld get a n d to break the
m ost sole m npro m ises whe n ever the y pleased .
Pizarro arra n ged all his ar m y in the m ost
a dva n tage o u s m a n n er to do w hat he wa s so
w ickedly pla n n i n g . His m en w ere all ordered
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LIFE OF FR AN C I SC O
1 44
IZAR RO.
P
to keep w ithi n the squ are a n d n ot to m ove un
til thev received his orders .
A t a n e a rly ho u r A tah u alpa bega n to prepare
for his visit . A s he w i shed to m ake the m o s t
sple n did a ppea r a n ce before these stra n gers the
preparatio n s lasted agreat w hile a n d the d a y
w a s far adva n ced before he w a s rea dy t o set
o u t . A n d the n that everythi n g m i g ht be ke pt
i n order h e m ade the pro ce s s i on m o ve so slo w ly
that the Spa n i ards i m patie n t for the bo oty Wer e
afraid he had bec o m e s u spicio us of the m a n d
h ad co n cl u ded n o t t o m ake the proposed visit .
Their o wn gu ilt y hearts proba bly m ade the m
thi n k of this . Pizarro se n t m ore m esse n g ers
w ith frie n dly speeches to haste n the u n fo r t u n ate
I n ca to his doo m . A t last he ca m e n ear . He
w a s preceded by fo u r h un dred m en all dr essed
alike t o c lear the w a y before him . The n ca m e
the m o n arch sitti n g on a sort of thro n e or co u ch
a n d al m ost e n tirely covered w ith plates of gold
a n d silver w hich w ere ador n ed w ith precio u s
sto n es . He wa s a lso d ecorated w ith m an y c ol
ored pl u m es . T h u s loaded w ith or n a m e n ts he
w a s carried o n the sho ulders of his pri n cipal
atte n da n ts . Behi n d him w ere several of hi s
n obles carried in the s a m e m a n n er . Ba n ds o f
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LIFE OF F R AN C I S C O P IZARRO .
1 46
spoke . Valverde reached to him the book con
ta in i n g the prayers a n d service of the C atholic
Ch u rch w hich he held i n his ha n d . The In c a
t ur n ed over I t s leave s w ith w o n der a n d put it
“
up to his ear . He th e n sai d
this is sile n t it
”
tells m e n othi n g a n d thre w it w ith scor n u po n
the gro u n d . The priest was shocked at this
“
he cri ed ou t to ar m s Christian s the w ord o f
God I s I n s u lted y o u m us t ave n ge this profa n a
tio n o n the i m pio u s dogs .
A t t he sight of this rich a n d shi n i n g pr oce s
s io n the m en w ere s o eager t o seize u po n i t
th at Pizarro c o uld hardly m ake the m w ait w hile
t he priest a n d the I n ca w ere holdi n g this co n
fere n ce . W he n Pizarro heard the excla m atio n
o f the pries t h e gave the order for his m en t o
attack . They r u shed at o n ce u po n the Per u
via n s w ho w ere e n tirely u n prepare d for the
cr uel actio n . The h orse m e n the ca n n o n a n d
the w hol e apparat u s w ere so di ffere n t fro m w hat
they had ever see n a n d the attack w a s so s u d
d e n that they fl e d o n every side . Pizarro at
the head of a chose n ba n d r u shed for ward to
seize the I n ca . The m en w ho s urro un ded their
pri n ce tried t o cover him w ith their bodies ye t
Pizarro s ucceeded i n re achi n g his thro n e seized
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LIF E OF
F R AN CISCO
F
IZ A R R O
1 47
by t he a r m a n d dragged h im to the gro un d
a pris o n er to his o w n
a n d the n carried hi m
q u arters . A t the sight of this the m en fled w ith
s till greater haste a n d the Sp a n i ards follo w ed
the m killi n g great n u m bers of these poor crea
t u r es w ho m ade n o resista n ce . The sla ughter
di d n o t cease u n til th e en d of the d a y . F o u r
t ho u sa n d Per uvi a n s w ere killed an d n o t o n e
Spa n i ard . Pizarro had a w o un d in on e of his
ha n ds which he r e ceived w he n h e w a s tryi n g
to seize the I n c a .
The Spa n i ards se i zed the gold a n d silver of
the P er u via n s . The q ua n tity of th ese m et als
w a s g rea ter tha n they co u ld ever have i m a g I n e d
t o see c ollecte d a t o n ce . They passed the n ight
i n the m ost extravaga n t j oy .
hi m
,
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‘
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r
C H A PT E R
I II .
The I n ca w a s at fi r st d readful l y s orro w ful
at the sla ughter of his troo ps .the l o s s of his
t rea s u r e s a n d t o fi n d h i m self a pri so n er . Pizarro
t ho u ght that he co u ld carry o n his pla n s bette r
i f he ke pt po s s e s s ron of the pri n c e a n d he w o u ld
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LIF E
OF
FRAN C I SC O P I Z A RRO .
this acc o un t have bee n s orry he sho u ld die .
"
He therefore talked ki n dly to him a n d tried to
e n co u rage hi m .
A tah u alpa soo n s a w that gold w a s w hat th e
S pa n iards m ost d esired ; he therefore told Pi
zarro if he w o u ld set hi m at lib erty h e w o u ld
give hi m as m u ch gold a n d silver as w o u ld c ove r
t he roo m w here he w a s co n fi n ed to be piled u p
as high as he c o u ld reach . This roo m w a s
t w e n ty tw o feet lo n g a n d sixtee n broa d . P izarro
m
w
u
ro
ised
to
give
his
liberty
if
he
o
ld
do
m
hi
p
this a n d the li n e wa s dra w n at the pro po sed
n ight .
A tahu alpa w a s delighted w ith the hope of
getti n g hi s liberty . He se n t m esse n gers t o
C uzco Q u ito a n d the dist a n t parts of the em
pire to gather the t re as ures w hich had bee n
he a ped u p to a d or n the t e m ples of the gods or
the palaces of the I n cas . A ltho u gh he w a s a
pri so n er the Per u via n s did everythi n g th ey
co u ld t o fulfil his orders . Th o u gh the e m pi re
w a s still stro n g a ri d able to fu r n ish po w erfu l
ar m ie s y e t the Per uvia n s feared t o m a ke a n y
resista n ce to t he Spa n i a rds for fear tha t t he y
sh o u ld pu t the l ife of the capti ve pri n ce i n d a n
er . The S pa n iards therefore w ere able to
g
on
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LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
1 50
his tro ubles he se n t a n d ordered H uascar to be
kille d . His orders w ere obeyed .
We ca n n o t feel qu ite so m u ch pity for the
s u fferi n gs of Atah u alpa w he n w e see ho w c ru e l
he w a s a n d that he w a s w illi n g to co m m it a n y
cri m e t o gai n hi s o w n des i res . He had before
ca u sed a l l his relati o n s to be m u rdered except
this b rother to sec u re to hi m self the ri g ht to
gover n ; a n d n o w w he n he tho ught hi s brother
w a s I n the Wa y h e did n o t hesitate to m u rder
h im . Hi s o w n tro u bles m ight have m ade hi m
m or e ki n d a n d pitifu l to others
b u t his fa u l ts
do n o t exc u se the Spa n iar d s for their treachery
t o him a n d n othi n g c a n exc u se their cr u elty t o
the poor s u bj ects of these pri n ces w ho h ad co m
m itte d n o cri m e a n d w ere p u rs u ed a n d killed
by the m w itho u t a n y m ercy .
The I n di a n s bro ught in e ve ry day to Ca xa
m alca I m m e n se q u a n tities of treas u re . N earl y
the w hole of what ha d bee n pro m ised wa s col
l ect e d a n d A tah u alpa told Pizarro that i t wa s
o n ly beca u se I t to ok so lo n g to bri n g it fro m the
dista n t parts of the e m pire that i t had n o t all
arrived . B ut the soldiers beca m e s o i m patie n t
whe n the y s a w s uch i m m e n se piles of gold t hat
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LIFE OF
F
RAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
151
Pizar ro fo u nd
it w a s i m possible to res trai n the m .
They took o u t s o m e c uri o u s articles as prese n ts
t o the e m p eror a n d the n t he w hole m ass w a s
melted do w n . A fifth part w a s put apart for
the e m pero r a n d a certai n portio n for the sol
d ie r s w ho had j ust arrived w it h A l m agro a n d
there re m ai n ed the n o n e m illio n five h un d red
a n d t w e n ty ei h t pesos fo r Pizarro a n d h is fol
g
l o w er s T hey divided the treas ure w ith reli
gi o n s cere m o n ies calli n g u po n God t o w it n ess
the actio n . By this divisio n abo ve eight t ho u
s a n d pes os w hich i s said t o ha ve bee n at t hat
t i m e w o r th n ot less tha n t w o h un dred a n d t w e n ty
fo u r tho u sa n d dollars fe ll to the share of e ach
horse m a n a n d h alf that s u m to each foot s ol
dier . Pizarro a n d the other o ffi cers had share s
larger in proportio n to the ra n k they held
There is n o t in all history a n y acco u n t of so
large a di visio n of treas u re bei n g m ade in s u c h
a s m all arm y . The m en fo u n d the m sel ves p os
sesse d Of w e a lth beyon d what they had ever
tho u ght of a n d they w a n ted to go ho m e a n d
e n j oy it I n thei r o w n co u n try . Pizarro k n e w
that it w o u ld be in vai n to try to keep the m
w he n they w ere so desiro u s to go ho m e an d
he tho ugh t that whe n others s a w the m ret u r n
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LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
1 52
i n g w ith
s u ch stores of w ealth there w o u ld be
e n o u gh m e n w illi n g to c o m e a n d JOl n his sta n d
ard i n the hope o f g a in i n g a share o f the w e a lth
which see m ed so ple n ty i n the n e w r egio n . He
th erefore se n t hi s brot her F erdi n a n d with m ore
tha n sixty of his follo w ers to Spai n w ith a n a c
c o u n t o f the m a n n er he had s ucce ede d a n d the
pres e n t set apart for the e m peror .
Whe n A tah u alpa fo u n d that the Spa n iar d s
had divided the treas u re which he had paid for
hi s ran so m he tho u ght that i t w a s ti m e the y
sh o u ld thi n k of fu lfilli n g their part of the bar
ai
o
n a n d set him at liberty . B u t Pizar r
d
d
i
g
d the Spa n iards pre
n o t m e a n to do it . He a n
e
t e n ded to thi n k as did m ost others at that ti m
that the n a t ive A m erica n s w ere a lo w er order
of bei n gs a n d as th ey w ere n ot Christia n s they
pre te n ded to thi n k they m igh t d o what they
pleased w ith the m . Tho u gh Pizarro had i m i
t a te d C ortes i n seiz in g A tah u a l pa he w a s n o t
a m a n o f so m u ch po w er of m i n d as C ortes w a s
a n d did n o t k n o w ho w to m a n age his priso n er
a s C ortes did M o n tez um a . H e did n o t s u cc eed
i n m aki n g Atah u alpa feel a n y co n fi d e n ce i n hi m
n o r regard to him . I t added m u ch t o the fa
t ig u es o f the soldiers who w ere n ow few in
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1 54
LIFE OF
F
RAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
a nd
tried to prej u dice Pizarro a gai n st hi m . He
k n e w that it w a s agai n st the la w s of hi s c o un
try for him t o m arry this la d y w ho w a s o n e of
the d a u ghters of the S un as the royal race w ere
c al led ; bu t he s a w everythi n g overt u r n i n g i n
his co u n try .a n d he felt hopes that if the pri n ce
w ere dead he m ight be able to ha v e hI s wa shes
gra n te d .
A ll these thi n gs see m ed e n ou gh to m ake th e
d e ath of the u n happy pri n ce certai n . An acci
de n t happe ne d by w hich he pro bably hi m self
hast e n ed his fate . D u ri n g his co n fi n e m e n t he
had see n a n d beco m e attached to F erdi n a n d Pi
zarro a n d Her n an do S oto . These m en w ere
better ed u cated tha n m ost of the others a n d
treated the pri so n er wi th m ore ki n d n ess a n d
t e n der n ess . Pizarro w a s a r ude u n ed u cate d
soldier a n d his ster n harsh m a n n er ala rm ed
a n d dist urbed the p ri n ce . He beg a n to s u spect
that Pizarro w a s of a lo w er ra n k tha n those
w hose m a n n ers w ere so m u ch m ore pleasi n g
a n d he co uld hardly help sho w i n g that he des
,
_
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'
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,
i
se d hi m .
p
thi n gs he had se e n A ta
h u alpa w a s m ost delighted w ith the art of re a d
i n g a n d w riti n g . He d id n ot k n o w w hether
Of all
the
w o n derfu l
,
LIF E OF FRAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
55
the k n o wl e d ge ca m e to the Spa n iards by birth or
w hether they had ga i n ed it by ed u catio n . That
he m ight fi n d this o u t he asked o n e of the sol
d iers w ho g u arded hi m to w rite the n a m e of God
u p o n hi s th u m b nail . This w ord he she w ed to
se veral of the Spa n iards , a n d w a s asto n ished to
fi n d that the y all gave the sa m e a n s w er . Whe n
Pizarro ca m ein the I n ca sh o w ed him his n ail
P izarro bl u shed a n d w a s obliged to ow n that
he did n ot k n o w w h at it m ea n t . F r o m that
m o m e n t A tah ualpa c o n sidered him as a m ea n
perso n w ho did n ot k n o w so m u ch as his o w n
soldiers . He had n o t art e n o ugh to co n c e a l the
scor n he felt for his cr u el m aster . To fi n d him
self d espi sed by a barbar i a n pri n c e w a s very
pai n fu l to Pizarro a n d m ade him feel very a n
n d resolve m ore fir m ly tha n ever to
u
t
a
r
p
g y
A tah u alpa to death .
B u t tho u gh Pizarro had resolved to pu t hi s
priso n er to death h e did n ot dare to do it w ith
o u t so m e pre te n ce of j u stice . H e or d ered a
co u rt of w hich A l m agro a n d hi m self w ith t w o
assista n ts w ere j u d ges . He kept u p all the
for m s of a trial in Spai n a n d had all the reg u
lar offi cers appoi n ted . A tah u alpa w a s acc u sed
before th is c o u rt o f havi n g de pri ved his brother
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1 56
LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZAR RO.
of the co m m a n d of the e m pire a n d of h avi n g
u t hi s brother to d eath ; that he w a s a n idola
p
ter a n d had ordered m e n to be sacrificed i n
w orship ; that he had several w ive s; a n d that
he had w asted the p ublic treas u res w hich si n c e
the c o un try w a s c o n qu ered belo n ged to the
Spa n iards ; a n d that he had tried to stir u p h is
s ubj e cts to fi ght agai n st th e Spa n iard s . I t is
a m azi n g that Pizarro sho u ld have had the bold
n ess t o prete n d t o bri n g for w ard s u ch charge s
a g ai n st the pri n ce a n d pre te n d t o set u p the
for m s of l a w to try t he m atter . T hey s um
m o u ed w it n esses to prove his g u ilt ; b u t as Phi
lipil l o w a s the i n terpreter w ho w ished for the
death of the u n happy m o n arch he c o u ld m ake
W hat t he w it n esses said m ean w hatever h e
pleased . The m ock trial e n ded by pr on o u n c
i n g A tah ualpa g u ilty a n d by his bei n g c o n
d em n e d to be b u r n ed alive . A tah u alpa tried
to escape his fate "
he begged that he m ight be
s e n t to S pai n to be tried by a ki n g w ho w o u ld
have so m e pity on his m isfort un es . B ut Pizarro
k n e w n o pity . He h urried the u n happy m o n arch
t o his exec utio n . Valverde the priest prete n ded
to co n sole him . He told him if he wo u ld b e
co m e a Christia n his d eath s ho u ld be m ad e a
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LIFE OF F RAN CI SC O P IZARRO .
1 58
m I ght w ell
perm it
do
,
w hate ver t he
holy fa ther
w o u ld
him .
C H A PT E R I V .
A fter A tah u alpa
dead Piz a rro set u p as
r u ler in his place on e o f the so n s of t hat pri n ce .
H e tho u ght he co u ld d irect t hi n gs better if he
gover n ed i n the n a m e of t he la w fu l m o n arch .
B u t the co u n try had been s o divided by the
w ars of the t w o brothers a n d after w ards by the
i n t r u si o n of the Sp a n i ards t hat there w a s bu t
little form o f la w or gover n m e n t left . The
people of C u zco ch ose fo r a r u ler a br other of
H ua scar b u t his a u tho rity w a s li ttle h ee d ed .
A l m ost all the ro y al race h ad bee n destroyed
i n the co n tests of the t w o brothers a n d th e peo
ple ceased t o feel a n y great revere n ce for w hat
re m ai n ed o f the fa m ily . S e ver a l bold a n d d a r
i n g m en ro s e u p i n di ffere n t parts of the co u n
try who t ried t o beco m e r ulers of i t . The
ge n eral w ho c o m m a n d ed i n Q uito for At a hu
alpa s eized t he brot her a n d childre n o f that
was
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LIFE
OF
FR AN C I SC O P IZAR RO .
fort u n ate pri n ce a n d havi n g m urdered the m
tri ed to set u p a ki n g do m for hi m self.
N othi n g co u ld be m ore favo rable to the pla n s
O f P izarro t ha n these divi si o n s a n d d isorders
a m o n g the P e r u via n s . He n o w fo un d hi m self
at the head of a large n u m ber of a dve n t u rers .
Whe n the m e n w ho had S hared the ran so m of
A tah u alpa ret ur n ed w ith F er n a n do Pizarro to
Pa n a m a a n d displayed the st ores of w ealt h
w hic h they ha d gai n ed i n so short a t i m e all
t he i n ha b i t a n ts of that regi o n w ere seized w ith
the d esire to h aste n to the spot w here s u c h
ri ches w a s to be gai n ed a n d the gover n ors of
Pa n a m a a n d the n ei g h b ori n g p r ovi n ces c o uld
ha rdly preve n t all t he people fro m l e a vm g thei r
h o m es a n d haste n i n g to Peru . In spite of a l l
they co u ld d o to preve n t it s o m a n y had flocked
to t ha t co u n try that Pizarro w ho had n o w r e
solved to adva n ce t o C uzco fo un d hi m self at
th e head of five h un d red m e n altho u gh he had
left a ga rriso n of s ol d iers to take care o f the
fort S t . M i chae l . The Per uvia n s tried to o p
pose his progress by asse m bli n g large b odies
o f tro ops b u t the c o n tests e n d e d as the battles
bet w ee n the Spa n i ards a n d n at ive A m eric an s
ge n erally did ; great n um ber s o f I n dia n s w ere
un
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LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZAR RO .
1 60
“
killed or w ou n ded a n d the rest fled . A t le n gt h
Pizarro reached the c api tal C u zco a n d took
possessi o n of i t qu i etly . They fo un d great
stores of ri ches there tho u gh the n ati ves ha d
carried a w ay a n d co n cealed probably a gr ea t
d eal . There w e re m ore m e n to divide it a m o n g
tha n t here w ere w he n th e ran so m of the I n ca
w a s Shared b u t i t w a s tho u ght that the s u m
exceeded w hat w a s divided at that ti m e tho u gh
fro m the n u m ber of m en each i n divid ual ha d
m u ch less . D u ri n g this m arch to C u zco th e
s on O
f A tah u alpa ,w ho m Pizarro had m ade I n ca
died so that there w a s n o on e t o bear tha t title
b ut M a n co Capac the s o n of H uascar .
W he n Pizarro w e n t to C uzco he left Be n al
caza r i n co m m a n d of the garriso n of S t .M ichael .
He w a s a brave o ffi cer a n d did n o t like to r e
m ai n q uietly w ithi n the w al l s o f the garriso n
bu t W i shed to go to seek adve n t ures . H e left
m en e n o u gh at St .M ichael to keep it in sa fety
a n d the n m arched w ith a co m pa n y of m e n to
c o n q u er the city of Q u ito w here it w a s reported
A tahu alpa had left a great part of his treas u res .
Q uito w a s at a co n siderable dista n ce fro m Per u
a n d the co u n try thro u gh w hich it wa s n ecess ary
t o m arch t o reach it w a s m o untai n o u s an d co v
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16 2
LI F E
OF
FRAN C IS C O P IZ AR RO .
la n ded at P uerto Viego b u t he did n ot k n o w
m u ch ab o u t the co u n try a n d he had n o t good
g uides t o direct him . He tried to reach Q u ito
by foll ow m g the c o u rse of the river G uayaq u il
a n d crossi n g the ri d ge of the A n des a t the head
Of that riv er . B u t this road w a s ve ry d iffic u lt
t o travel a n d his troops s u ffered dread fully
so m eti m es fro m the r oad p a ssi n g thro u gh dis
m a l s w a m ps a n d m arshes a n d so m eti me s b e
ca u se it we n t over m o u n tai n o u s c o u n tries w here
t he w eather w a s dreadfu lly cold . Before they
h Q u ito is S it u ate d
r ea che d the plai n o n w hi c
a great m a n y of his m e n a nd horses had died
d
a n d the rest w ere so w or n o u t a n d disco u rag e
that they w ere hardly fit for a n ythi n g .
I n stead of b ein g able to rest the m selves a fter
their tiresom e j o u r n ey they me t at Quito a n
arm y o f S pa n iards . Piza rro had heard that
A lvarado w a s adva n ci n g to ward his provi n ce
a n d had se n t A l m agro w ith a body of t roop s to
oppose him . They had arrived in safety a n d
had bee n j oi n ed by Ben a l ca z a r a n d his party.
A lvarado tho u gh he h ad n o t expected to fi n d
a body o f Spa n iards Opposed to hi m ad va n ce d
boldly to m eet the m . B ut there w ere s o m e
ea
ce ful m en i n each party who s ucceeded in
p
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LI FE OF
F
RAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
1 63
pre ve n ti n g the t w o co m m a n ders fro m fighti n g .
A lvarad o agreed to ret ur n to his o w n p rovi n ce
a n d A l m agr o agreed t o pay hi m so m e m o n ey
to defray t he expe n se s of hi s expeditio n . M ost
of the m en w ho had co m e w it h A lvarad o prefer
red to s tay in Per u so that the p arty of Pizarro
w a s stre n gthe n ed i n stead of bei n g w eake n ed by
thi s i n vasio n .
F erdi na n d Pizarro havi n g car ried b ack to
Pa n a m a the adve n tu rers w ho w ished to retu r n
t he re lade n w ith riches proceed e
d to S pai n .
T he I m m e n se qu a n t ities of gold a n d silver w hich
h e carried w ith hi m fill e d t he e m pire w ith the
greatest asto n i sh m en t . The e m peror rec e i ved
hi m w it h the atte n tio n w hich w a s d u e to on e
who had bro ug ht to hi m the richest prese n t
w hich had e v er b ee n see n in Sp ai n eve n si n ce
the co n q u est Of M ex i co . The au thori ty of his
brother F ra n cisco w a s co n fir m ed w ith n ew po w
ers a n d w ith a n additi o n to his territory w hi ch
w a s to reach se ve n t y le ag u es farther so u th .
A l m agr or eceived the hoiio rs w hich he h ad so
l o n g desired “ He ha d co n ferred on him the
title of A dela n tado o r gover n or w ith j urisd ic tio n
over t w o h u n dred leag ue s o f cou n try b ey pn d
’
the so u ther n bo un dary of P izarro s provi n ce
,
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1 64
LIFE
OF F R AN C I
SC O P IZARRO .
F erdi n an d receive d m arks of the e m peror s
’
fa
vor a n d w a s m a d e a k n ight of the o rder of St .
Jago w hich w a s a n ho n or m u ch prize d by S pa n
ish ge n tle m e n at that ti m e . He w e n t back to
Per u acco m pa n ied by a great m an y p e rso n s
a n d those of a higher ra n k tha n had yet served
,
,
,
,
in
t ha t c o un tr .
y
‘
T he
acc o un t of the s e m atte rs reached Per u
befo r e the arrival there of F ern a n d o Pizarro .
A s soo n as A l m agro heard th at he had receive d
a pro vi n ce for hi m self he prete n ded t o thi n k
that the royal city Of C u z co w a s i n cl uded i n
his territory . He ha d n e ver felt very frie n dl y
to Pizarro si n ce he had tr e ated hi m so ba d ly i n
the first arra n ge m e n t he had m ade wit h the
e m peror . A l m agro atte m pted t o take posses
sio n of C uzco "
J ua n a n d Go n s alez P i zarro a t
te m pted to defe n d it. So m e of the S pa n iards
t o ok part w it h each of the clai m a n ts a n d they
ost c o m e to figh ti n g w he n F ra n cisc o
ha d al m
Pi zarro arrived a t the ca pi tol .
Pizarro k n e w that he had n o t acte d fairly by
his old frie n d ; a n d A l m agro tho ugh he ha d
prete n de d to m ake u p w ith hi m had n ever r e ally
fo rgive n him . The pe r so n s abo u t the m w ho
had take n sides wi th o n e or the other tried to
,
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LIFE OF F R AN C I SC O P IZARRO .
66
to lay the fo un dat io n of a city w hich S ho u l d be
the ca pital of h is e m pire . C u zco the c ity of
the I n cas w a s fo ur h u n d r ed m iles fro m t he sea
s hor e a n d still fa r t her fro m Q uito . He selected
fo r the spot on w hi h to b u ild his n e w ci t y the
bea utifu l valley of R i m ac, o n e of the best c u lti
It
v a te d a n d m os t exte n s i ve v alleys i n Per u .
i s only S i x m iles fro m Callao the m ost c o n ve n
i en t harb or i n the P aci fi c O cea n . He gave to
his n e w ci ty the n a m e of C i u d a d d e l o s Reges
or the city of th e ki n gs ; b ut it is better k n o w n
by the n a m e of L i m a . He e n tered w i th his
u s u a l zeal i n to t he b uildi n g of the ci ty . He
erected a spl e n did pa lace for h i m self a n d it
s o on b ega n t o S ho w so m e S ig n s of the m a g n ifi
ce n ce t o w hich it a fte rw a rd s reache d
A fter the agree m e n t bet w ee n Pizarro a n d his
frie n d A l m agro b ega n his m arch to w ard C hili .
AS he w a s very b r ave a n d v ery ge n ero u s he
w a s m uch liked by the soldi ers a n d fi ve hu n
dred a n d seve n ty m e n acco m pa n ied h im in his
expeditio n . A l m ag r o w a s in s uch h a s t e to reach
his d esti n atio n that he did n o t ke ep alo n g the
sea sho re .bu t atte m pted t o cross the m o un tai n s
w hic h w a s a shorter roa d b u t a m u c h m ore
d iffi c ult on e . In this j o u rn ey his m en were
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c
s
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L IF E OF FRAN C I S C O P IZARRO .
1 67
exposed to great fatigu e a n d w a n t of food . Th e
w eather w a s dreadfu lly col d i n the high regio n s
a n d m a n y of the m en died i n co n seq u e nc e o f
the hardships to w
hich they w ere expos ed .
A t las t they reached t he plai n s of C hili w hich
th ey fo u n d to be a fertile co un try bu t i n h a bit ed
by a race of m en very di ffere n t fro m the Per u
via n s . T h e y w er e bold a n d hardy a n d tho ugh
th ey w ere at first asto n ished at the appeara n c e
o f the S pa n I a r d s a n d s u rprised at t he fire a rm s
n recovered the m selve s a n d w ere
soo
e t the
y
y
n o t o n ly able to d efe n d th e m s el ve s bold l y b ut
they attac ked the S pa n i ards w i th m ore fi erce
n ess a n d skill tha n a n y A m erica n n atio n ha d
yet d o n e . A l m agro ho w e ver w a s able to a d
v a n ce so m e di sta n c e i n t o the co u n try a n d c o l
lect co n si d erable q u a n tities of gold b u t he did
n o t thi n k best t o atte m pt to m ake a n y settle
co u n try w h ere he sh o uld have s u ch
m e n t i n a"
fi erce n ei g h b ors .
Pizarro in order to kee p his m en e m ployed
fered
a n d to satisfy the i r desire for g o l d ha d s u f
several o f his le aders to go w it h parties of m e n
u n d e r their c o m m a n d to explore difi e re n t parts
of the c o un try a n d to c olle c t gold . The P er u
v ia n s co uld n ot b ut w atch every m ove m e n t o f
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L I FE OF FRAN C I S C O P IZARRO .
16 8
the ir
they fo u n d that Al
m agro had go ne w it h a large b ody of m en to
C hili a n d that the rest of the Spa n iards w ere
d ispersed abo u t the co u n try they t ho u ght it
w o u l d be a good Opport u n ity for th em to attack
the few who w ere left in C uzco u n der J ua n a n d
Go n zale s Pizarro . M an co C apac the In ca had
b e e n a l l o w ed to liv ein that city i n the pa l ac e
of hi s fore fathers tho ugh he wa s st rictly w atched
by the Span iards . He n o w for m ed a pla n for
the Per u via n s t o attack the S pa n iards a n d he
co n trived t o m ake his pla n k n o w n to the per
s o n s who w ere to exec u te it . The peop le w er e
acc u sto m ed t o c o n sider their I n ca as a sort of
god a n d tho u gh he w a s n o w a priso n er the y
w ere all ready to obey his co m m a n ds as Soo n
as they w ere made k n o wn to the m .
The I n ca tried several ti m es to m ak e his es
cape fro m his co n fi ne m e n t bu t d id n o t s ucceed .
A t last he asked per m issio n of F er d i n an d Pi
zarro w ho happe n ed to be at that ti m e at C uzco
to atte n d a great festival of his n atio n which
w a s to be celebrated a fe w leag u es fro m the
capital . Pizarro allo wed him to atte n d .
U n der prete n ce of this celebratio n the great
m en o f the e m pire were asse mbled . A s soo n
‘
i n va d e r s ;
and
w he n
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LIFE OF FRAN C ISC O P IZARRO .
1 70
th ey ha d see n so s u c cessful ly e m ployed b y the
S pa n iards . They arm e d a large bo d y of thei r
b ravest m e n w it h the spears s w o rds a n d b u ck
lers they had t ake n fromthe Spa n i ards . They?
tried to arra n ge their men in the close m a n n e r
i n w hich E u ropea n s fi gh t . S o m e br o u ght te
th e battle m u skets w hich they had take n fro m.
the n I n vaders a n d w hich t hey w ere n o t a fr a i é
t o u s e . S o m e of the bol d est a nd the I n ca w a s
o n e of th e m m o u n t e d the h o r ses they had takers
a n d rode for w ard to the attack w ith their la n ce s .
which the y m a n aged like Spa ni sh k n ights .
Im m e n se n u m be r s of the n atives co l lect ed;
fro m every q u arter a n d i n thi s w a y m ade m ore
i m pressio n u po n the Spa n iards tha n e ve n thei r
i m i t atio n s o f E ur ope a n w arfare . M a n c o C a pa c
recovered poss essio n of on e half o f his c a pi tal
n ot w i thsta n di n g the e fforts o f the S pa n iard s .
In the i r str u ggles w ith the P er u via n s J u a n Pi
zarro w as kil led w ho w a s Of all the brothers o f
the n a m e of Piza rro the o n e most beloved by
the m e n . The Sp a n iards w ere al m ost w or n o u t
w ith t heir i n cessa n t w atchi n g a n d fighti n g an d
they d espaire d of bei n g able to resist a n ar m y
wh ich ev e ry d a y g re w larger . They lo n ged
to j o i n thei r co u n trym e n i f a n y were yet s ur
,
r
,
"
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,
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LIFE
OF
FRAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
v ivi n g , a n d
they h ope d to be able to forc e their
w a y to the sea a n d fi n d so m e m ea n s of escapi n g
fro m this fatal c o u n try . W hile these tho ught s
w ere i n their m i n d s A l m
agro appeared in the
n e i ghborhood of C uzco .
“
,
,
C H A PT E R V .
‘
A l m a gro had heard that the Peru via n s ha d
r ise n agai n st their i n vaders a n d he deter m i n e d
to h a sten h o m e to assist his c o u n try m e n . Bu t
a n other reaso n i n d u ce d hi m to haste n hi s ret u r n
to Per u . At the sa m e ti m e that he hea rd of
the revolt of the Per u via n s ,he also recei ved the
pape rs co n ta in i n g the a uthori ty of the e m pe ror
w hich m ade him go ver n or of Chi l i. Upo n look
i n g carefu lly a t these he w a s c o n vi n ced that
the city Of C uz co w a s i n cl uded w ithi n his t erri
tory a n d h e therefor e w ished very m uch to
ga i n posses s io n of the ci ty w hich w o ul d for m
He had
a n i m porta n t p a rt of his do m i n io n s .
ret u r n e d by a di ffe re n t path fr o m the o n e b y
w hic h he w e n t to C hili p assi n g alo ng the sa n d y
n s on the sea coast a n d had s u ffered a s m u ch
lai
p
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,
,
"
-
,
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‘
,
,
1 72
L IF E
OF
FRAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
he a t a n d wan t o f w ater as in his form er
j ou rn ey he had do n e fro m the cold a n d w a n t of
food .
H e arrived at C u zco at a ti m e of great a n xi
ety .The Spa n iards a n d Per u via n s both w atche d
his m otio n s w ith great in terest . The I n ca se n t
m essages to him a n d tried to pers uade hi m t o
j oi n him in drivi n g a w ay the follo w ers of P i
zarro . B u t fi n di n g that he co u ld n o t m ak ea n y
treaty of frie n dship with A l m a gro he attacked
his ar m y with a po werful bo d y o f m en . B ut
t he sk ill a n d discipli n e of the Spa n ish troops
prevailed they d is pers ed the ar m y of the I n ca
a n d A l m agro proceeded to the gates of C u zc o
w i tho u t oppositio n .
The Pizarros tried to preve n t the e n tra n ce of
A l m agro i n to the c apital . B oth the parties
ho w ever s a w that it w o u ld be very bad for the
S pa n i sh ca us e i fthey sho u ld spe n d their stre n gth
i n fighti n g agai n st each other . A l m agro w a s
v ery ki n d a n d agreeabl e i n his m a n n ers a n d
the m en liked hi m better tha n the Pizarros w ho
w ere pro u d a n d severe i n their co n d u ct . M a n y
of the follo w ers of Pizarro w e n t over a n d j oi n ed
A l m agro . By the i n for m atio n the y gave him
of the st a te of the pl a ces a n d the additi o n t hey
fro m
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1 74
L
IFE OF F R AN C I SC O P IZARRO .
rado j oi n his party b u t he w o uld n o t co n se n t
t o ch an ge his m aster . A l m agro c a u sed a l arg e
detach m e n t of s oldiers to pa s s the river in the
n ight a n d fall u po n his ca m p before they w ere
expected . A l varado a n d his pri n cipal O ffi cers
w ere take n priso n ers .
S o m e of the follo wer s of A l magro advised
him t o pu t to deat h the brothers Of Pizarro
Al var ado a n d a fe w others Of the pr 1 nc1pa l m en
i n the opposite pa rty a n d t o m arch directly to
L i m a a n d attack Pizarro before he had ti m e to
prepa r e for his de fe n ce b u t A l m agro w a s n o t
w ill in g to do this t h o ugh he tho u ght he had a
righ t to C u zco yet he did n o t thi n k he ha d a
right to a ttack Pizarro in w hat he w a s s u re w a s
his o w n territory . He there fore w e n t qui etl y
back t o C uzco .
The n e w s of all these great eve n ts w hich had
happe n ed a t C u zco reached Pizarro at the sa m e
ti m e . He heard that A l m agro had co m e b a Ck
a n d take n possessio n of the capital that on e of
his brothers had bee n killed in the w a r w ith
the Per u via n s that the o ther t w o w ere priso n
ers a n d that his ar m y se n t u n der A l varado had
bee n de feated . S to ut as he w a s he w as al m ost
beate n do wn by so m an y di ffere n t t ro ubles . Bu t
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
LIFE OF
he
whe
F RA N Ci
sCO
P IZARRO .
17 5
do so m ethi n g to preserve him
self a n d the territor y for w hich he had s u ffered
s o m u ch .
He w a n ted to preve n t A l m agro fro m
m aki n g a n y at tack on hi m u n til he had recei ved
th e add iti o n s to his forces fro m abroad w hich
h e expected a n d w hich a s he w a s place d n ear
the sea c o ast c o u l d c o m e to hi m w itho u t falli n g
i n t o the ha n ds O f A l magro . He se n t m essages
m a k m g di ffere n t proposals of acco m m odatio n to
A l m agro a n d he s u ccee d e d by his artfu l m a n
a g e m en t l n preve n ti n g A l m agro fr om m aki n g
attack
o n h im . In them ea n t i m e Go n zalo
an
y
Pizarr oa n d A lvarado con t r i ve d to m ake their
escape a n d pers u aded sixty of the m ea
h ad
b ee n placed to g uard the m t o retu r n w ith the m
to Pi zarro . Piz arro co n ti n u ed to se nd m essages
t o A l m agro a n d at last pers uaded hi m to allo w
F erdi n an d Pi zarro tob e set at liberty a n d re t u r n
i m m edi ately t o Sp a m to sta te the ca u se of their
d isp utes to the e m peror a n d i n the m ea n ti m e
Pizarro a n d A l m agro sho u ld a wait un til they
t w hat wa s decided in Spa m . Tho u gh
fo un d o u
A l m agro had bee n s o o ften dece1 ve d y et he
tr usted his faithless c o m pa n io n agai n a n d a
bargai n w a s co n cl ud ed i n t his w a y a n d F erdi
na n d Piza rro w a s s e t at l ib erty .
sa
“
m u st
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1 76
L
IFE OF FRAN C I SC O P I Z ARR O .
A s s oo n as F erdi n a n d had re t u r ned t o
his
brother the gover n or forgot all these professio n s
w hich w ere o n ly m a de that he m igh t get hi s
brother restored to liberty . H e gave u p a l l
profe ssio n s of frie n dship a n d declared that he
w o uld fig ht w i th A l m a gro a n d d ecide by battle
w ho s ho ul d b e gover n or o f Pe ru . He i m m e d i
ately prepared a n ar m y to m arch t o C uzc o ; he
soo n had s e ve n h u n dred m en ready for bat tle .
He gav é the c o m m an d of these m en to hi s
brothers w ho havi n g lately s u ffered by bei n g
i m p riso n ed by A l m agro w ere very w illi n g t o
fight agai n st him . T he y m a rc hed so u th alo n g
the c oast a n d the n crossed the m o un tai n s w hich
separated the m fro m the capital .
So m e o f the o tfi cers o f A l m agro a d vised him
n o t to w ait u n til he w a s attacked b ut to go a n d
m eet his e n e m y i n the passes Of the m o u n tai n s
w here the wa y w a s n arro w a n d they m ight be
m ore easily overco m e . B u t his follo w ers w ere
n o t n u m ero u s ; he co u ld n o t have take n the m
all b u t m u st have left a part at C uzc o to pre
ve n t the C it y fro m falli n g agai n in t o the ha n ds
o f the Per u via n s . He had m ore hor s e m e n tha n
foot sold iers a n d co uld u s e the m t o m ore a d va n
t age in a n o pe n plai n co un try ; he ther efor e
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1 78
L
IFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
ar m ed b a n d decided the batt l e . Whe rever
th ey w e n t they beat do w n all oppositi o n . Or
u n ded w hile he w a s
w
o
n e z w a s d a n gero u sl
o
g g
y
tryi n g to e n co u rage his troops . The party o f
P iz a rro co n d u cted w i th great cr u elty . They
picked o u t me n a g a l n s t who m the y had so m e
dislike a n d kille d th em in c old blo od . Org o g
n ez a nd s everal other o fficers w ere kille d i n t his
A l m agro tho u gh he w as so feeble tha t
way
he co u ld n o t sit u po n his hor se w a s carried o n
a litter t o a plac e w here he co u ld see the bat
—
.
Here he s a w all the m ov em e n t s; a n d w he n
tle
he fo u n d that his o w n party w ere d efeated he
t ried t o escape by fl ight b u t he w a s ta k e n p r is
o n er a n d w atched w ith great care .
T he In d ia n s lo oked o n d u ri ng the ba ttl e w ith
great atte n tio n ; b u t w hen it w a s over i n stead
of attack ing the w eary fighters th ey disp ersed
’
n
C
u zco a n d
ie
tly
.
Pizarro
s
troops
u
e
tered
q
pillage d it . They fo u n d there co n siderable
treas u re part of w h ich ha d bee n l eft by the In
d ia n s a n d part probabl y b ro u ght fro m Chili by
the follo w ers of Al m agro ; b u t w he n d i vide d
a m o n g so m a n y i t d id n o t sati s fy their d esires
a n d F er d i n a n d Piz a rro w a s obliged to d o as his
brother had for m erly do n e a n d s uffer parties o f
w ell
i
‘
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'
;
,
,
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'
,
C
~
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,
LIF E
OF
FRAN C I SC O P IZA RR O .
S pan iar d s to go o ut to a tte m pt the d is c overy
a n d co n q ues t of other provi n ce s th u s carryi n g
s orro w a n d w a r s till farther a m o n g the un for
’
tu n a te I n dia n s . S everal Of A l ma gro s follo w
ers Jo i n ed th ese expediti o n s .
A l magro re mai n ed several m o n ths a priso n er .
Pizar ro deter m i n ed as soo n as he had him i n
his po wer to kill hi m ; b u t he did n o t dare to
d o it w hile he w a s s u rro un ded by hi s old frie n d s
a n d t he s o l d i ers w ho ha d loved a n d respec ted
him for so lo n g a ti m e . B u t w he n these ha d
go n e a w ay o n differe n t expediti o n s Pi za rr o
c a u sed hi m to be bro u ght t o trial acc u sed him
o f t reaso n agai n s t h im a s gove r n or of Per u
a rfd c o n de m n ed him to die . Tho u gh A l m agro
had bee n a bra v e soldier yet he w a s w eake n ed
by d isease a n d disappoi n t m e n t a n d he wa s so
h u m bled that he begged the c r u el Pizarro to
s pare his life . He re m i n ded hi m ho w lo n g the y
ha d bee n frie n ds ; ho w th ey had first pla n n e d
the co n qu est of this c o u n try ; had helped each
other a n d.had pro m ised in the m ost sole m n a n d
r eligio u s m a n n er to re m a i n tr u e to e ac h other .
He t old the Pizarros that he had spared their
l i ves w he n they had bee n i n hi s po w er tho ug h
he had bee n a dvised by s o m e o f his frie n d s n o t
,
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LIFE O F F RAN C I SC O P IZ ARRO .
1 80
to spare those who were so u n fai thful I n kee p
i n g their pro m ises . He begged the m to pity
his age a n d hi s in fir m iti e s a n d s uffer him t o
pass the short ti m e he sho ul d yet live i n retire
m e n t w here he co u ld repe n t of the si ns of h is
past life a n d pray God to forgive him . A ll
w ho heard him w ere m elted at his pet itio n s
a n d harde n ed soldiers shed tears at the si g ht
of the brave Old m a n w ho w a s bro u ght so l ow .
B ut n o pity ever reached the heart of Pizarro .
He co uld forget w he n w i th Al m a gro a n d L uqu e
he b roke the co n secrated bread a n d ate it call
in g u po n God t O W i t n e s s the faith w hich he
w o u ld keep his agree m e n t “ He c o u ld forg e t
w he n o n the soli tary isla n d m essages of eu
c o u r a g e m en t reached him fro m A l m agro . H e
c o u ld forget how he had assisted him i n all the
feeble atte m pts m ade I n t he begi n n i n g of his
e n t erprise . He s a w n othi n g b ut the m a n w ho m
he feared as a rival be fore him a n d in spite o f
his prayers a n d his tears he persis te d that h e
sho u ld die . Whe n A l m agro fo u n d th at a ll
prayers to Pizarro w ere vai n he prepared to
m eet his fate w ith co urage . He w a s s tra n gle d
i n priso n a n d his head a fter w ards c ut o ff i n
p ublic . He w a s seve n ty fi ve years old . He
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LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZAR R O .
1 82
—
u
t
o
try
isely
u
n
w
B
he di d n ot k n o w how to
.
c
re m edy these evil s .
He co n cl u d ed ho w e ver to se nd so m e o n e o ut
to see the state of affairs a n d try to establi s h
so m e for m of gover n m e n t in the n ewco un try .
F or th 1 s p u rpose he sel ected Vac a de Castro a
royal Ju d ge at Vallad olid . He w a s to have
po w er t o take u po n hi m sel f the gover n m e n t i n
case Piz arro sho u ld be de ad ; or if he sho uld be
livi n g he w a s to co n s ult w ith him W hat w a s
bes t to b e d on e for the co un try . H e w a s a
w is ea n d fi r m a n d ho n e st m a n . F erdi n a n d Pi
zarro w a s arreste d a n d pu t i n priso n i n M adri d
w here he re m a i n ed for mor e tha n t w e n ty years .
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CH A PT ER VI .
P izarro after the d eath of A l m a gro proceeded
to exercise e n tire po w er a n d t o divide t he co u n
try as he pleased a m o n g those w ho had c o n
q u ered it . A n d if he ha d do n e this fairly there
w a s la n d e n o ugh to have satisfied all ; b u t he
d id n ot do this . He took for hi m sel f his broth
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LIF E OF FRAN C I SC O P IZARRO
d fav o rites
1 83
l arge
tracts of t he riche st
a n d m os t c u l t i vated part s of the co un t r fw hi l e
y
to those w ho m h e fav ored less were give n tracts
of a poorer ki n d ; a n d the follo wers of A l m agro
m a n y of who m w ere a m o n g the b ra vest a n d m os t
p atie n t of the adve n t u re rs w ere n o t allo we d to
h ave a n y portio n . T h u s great d isa ppoi n t m en t
w as felt ; s o m e lo u dly b la m ed the g overn or
w hile others i n secret m ur m u red at their w ro n gs
a n d resol ved to t ake the first occasio n to re ve n g e
the m selves u po n hi m . N ot w ithsta n d i n g the
large t e r ritory w hi ch had bee n co n qu ered b y
the S pa n ia r d s they w ere n o t s a tisfied u n les s
they w ere m aki n g n ew disc overies . They w ere
”
Co n sta n tly pe n etrati n g I n to n ew d is tr ic i s where
t hey s uffered hard ships b u t a d ded co n si d erably
to the do m i n io n s of Spai n . B ut the expediti o n
of G o n za l o Pizarro i s so w o n derful a n d ro m a n ;
t ic t ha t it o u ght to be p a rtic u larly m e n tio n ed
Pizarro w ho did n o t choose th at a n y bu t
tho se of his o w n fa m ily sho u ld e n j oy t he high
e s t o ffi ce s i n Peru had deprived B en a l ca z a r
the co n q u eror of Q uito of the co m m a n d o f that
ki n gdo m a n d had p u t hi s brother G o n za l o i n
hi s pl a ce . H e ordered Go n zalo to try to ex
l
ore
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east
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LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
1 84
said by the I n dia n s t o abo un d i n ci n n a m o n
a n d other val u a ble spices .
Go n zalo w ho w a s
b old a n d desiro us to m ake h i m self disti n gu ished
w a s very glad to u n dertake this service . He
left Q uito w ith three h u n dre d a n d forty soldiers
n early on e half of w ho m w ere horse m e n a n d fo ur
tho u sa n d I n dia n s t o carry their provi s io n s . In
cros si n g the m o un tai n s the col d wa s excessive
a n d the
Span iards s u ffered d readfully w hile
m a n y of the I n dia n s died fro m cold a n d fatig u e .
B u t w he n they got d o w n i n to the l o w co u n tr y
they s uffered still m ore . F or t wo m o n ths it
rai n ed so co n sta n tly that they had n o t ti m e t o
dry their clothes . T he plai n s t o w h ich th ey
had arrive d afforded b u t little food a n d the i n
habita n ts w ere r ude a n d u n c
ivilized .They co uld
y
n o t get for w ard except by c u tti n g roads as the
w e n t . B ut the Spa n iards at that ti m e a n d i n
the N ew W orl d Were so acc u sto m ed to fatigu e
that t hey bore u p u n der al m ost everythi n g .
They heard acco un ts of rich co u n tries w hic h
lay b e fore t he m a n d they pressed o n u n til they
reached the ba n ks of t he C oca or N a po o n e of
t he large rivers w hich po u r i n to the river Am a
z o n a n d i n crease its siz e.
On the ba n ks of this river they b u ilt a vessel
wa s
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LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P I Z ARRO .
1 86
provisio n s by force a n d s om eti m es proc u r ed
the m fro m frie n dly I n dia n s i n a m ore ge n tle
m a n n er . A fter m a n y da n gers a n d diffic u l t ie s
w hich he bore very bravely he reached the
ocea n a n d got safe to the isla n d C ub a g ua a n d
fro m the n ce sailed t o Spa i n . He tol d gre a t
stories of the w o n d ers he had see n I n his expe
d itio n . He pre te n ded he had see n n atio n s so
rich that the roo fs of the te m ples w ere c overe d
w ith plates o f gold ; a n d that he ha d fo u n d a
n ation of w o m e n w ho w ere so w arlike a n d
p o werful as to have acq u ired the gover n m e n t
o f a very large terr i tory
an d it w a s a l o n g ti m e
before people w ere co n vi n ced tha t thes e w o n der
fu l stories w ere n o t tr u e . The voyage h o w ever
I n i ts si m l e tr u th i s on e of the m ost w o n derfu l
p
adve n t u res i n th at w o n derfu l a g e .
B u t w ho ca n tell the sorro w a n d d is may o f
Pi zarro whe n he arri ve d at the place w here
the N apo a n d A m azo n m eet a n d where he ha d
directed O rella na to w ait for hi m w he n he
fo u n d n o vessel there . H e Co u ld n o t believe
that Orella n a ha d bee n faithless b ut thi n ki n g
so m e accide n t had preve n te d their m eeti n g h e
w e n t for ward fifty leag u es alo n g the ba n ks o f
the A m azo n expecti n g every m o m e n t to see the
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F RA N CIs co
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1 87
P IZ A RRO .
v e s s el , a n d
hopi n g t o fi n d it loaded w ith pro vi
sio n s "At last he fo u n d a n o fficer w ho m O rel
I a na had left behi n d hi m expo s ed to perish in
t he desert beca u se this m a n had told hi m ho w
v ery w ick ed it w a s i n hi mto desert his co m
pa n i o n s a n d their co m m a n d er .
This m a n told him the w hol e s tory of Orel
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l an a s desertio n w hich whe n he kn e w his heart
a n d the spirit of his fo ll o w ers s u n k i n to de s
p air . They begged P izarro t o lead the m b ack
im m
ediately . He tried to appear tran quil a n d
d id n o t Oppose their w ishes ; b u t he k n e w he
w a s t welve h un dred m iles fro m Q ui to a n d he
foresa w the s u fferi n gs w hi ch la y be fore them
bu t there w a s n o other c hoi ce for the m ; a n d
d i s m al i n deed prove d their j o urn ey . They had
n o food b u t roots a n d berries a n d they w ere
force d to eat all their d ogs a n d horse s even to
feed o n t he m ost o d i o u s repti l es a n d to gn a w
the le ather of their sa d d les a n d s werdbel ts .
F o u r tho u san d I n dia n s a n d t wo h un dred a n d
t en Spa n iards died i n this sad expeditio n w hich
lasted t wo years . F ifty m en w e n t w ith Orel
la n a s o that o n ly eighty retur n ed to Q uito .
These w ere n aked like s avage s a n d so wor n
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LIF E OF
1 88
F
RAN C I SC O P IZAR RO .
do w n by fati gue a n d h u n ger that they l OO
k ed
like the sha d o w s o n ly of me n .
A fter the d i vI S i o n w hich F ra n cisco Pizarro
h ad m ade of the c o u n try great d isc o n te n t ha d
prevailed a m o n g the people . The fol l o w ers of
A l m agro fi n di n g that they co ui d ex pect n othi n g
fro m Pizarr o h a d t ur n e d their a t te n tio n to the
s o n of Al m a gro w ho h a d bee n a p oi n t e d by his
p
father to s u cceed him i n his gove rn m e n t an d
w ho w a s n o w livi n g in L i m a . The y o u n g A l
o m e a m a n . H is father
m agro had n o w be c
havi n g felt the w a n t of a n early ed ucatio n ha d
ca u sed his s on to be i n st r ucted i n everythi n g
w hich w a s n e cessary for a soldier a n d ge n tle m a n
at t h at day . He w a s ha n ds o me skilfu l in all
w arlike exercises bol d ge n ero u s a n d see m ed
to be for m ed for co m m a n d . The follo wers of
hi s father l OOk e d u p to hi m ho pi n g that h e
w o u ld be able so m e d a y t o h elp the m to recover
th e adva n tages w hich they ha d lost . They b e
a n to for m pla n s of re ve ng e u po n Pizarro .
g
S o m e perso n s w ho k n e w ho w ofte n they w ere
co n s u lti n g together told Pizarro that he o u gh t
to take care that he w a s n o t s u rprised by the m .
B ut he prete n ded t o despise the s e m en w ho m
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LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
1 90
he ha d j u st rise n fro m di n n e r a n d m ost
of his at ten da n ts ha d go n e to th eir o w n a part
m en ts . The c o n s pi rators there fore pa s sed t he
t w o o u ter co u rts o f t he palace w i tho u t bei n g
ob served . They had reached the botto m of the
be fore they were see n by a n y on e.
s taircase
A page the n descried the m a n d gave n otice to
to his m aster who w a s talki n g w ith a fe w frie n ds
ho wa s n ever thr o w n
i n a large hall . Piz arro w
o ff hi s g u ard started u p a n d called for ar m s
’
a n d ordered on e of hi s atte n da n ts to close th e
door . B ut th a t o ffi cer w a s alar m ed a n d in
stead o f obeyi n g hi s m aster he r a n t o the head
of the stairs a n d asked the co n spirators w hat
t hey m ea n t a n d w here t hey w ere goi n g . In
stead o f rep l yi n g they stabbed him to the heart
a n d the n e n tered the h a ll .
S o m e of the perso n s w ho w ere there thre w
the m sel ve s fro m the w i n do w s others tried to
fly a n d a fe w dre w their s w ords a n d follo w ed
t heir lea d er i n to a n i n n er a part m e n t . Herr a d a
a n d his c o m pa n io n s n o w r u shed for w ard . Pi
zarro w i th n o othe r ar m s tha n his S w ord a n d
b uckler defe n ded the e n try ; a n d s u pported by
his hal f brother A lca n t a ra a n d his fe w frie n ds
he fough t w ith great bold n ess a n d tried to en
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LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
91
c o urage his co m pa n io n s . Bu t thos e who a t
tacked the m w e re covered w ith ar m or w hi ch
protected the m w hile e ve ry blo w o f theirs took
’
e ffec t . A lca n tara fell d ea d at h is bro the r s fe et .
T he gover n or fo u gh t u n til he w a s s o w ea r y he
co uld hardly hold his s w ord b ut he w a s n o
l o n ger able to keep off the blo w s of so m a n y
e n e m ies ; a n d at las t he received a w o un d in
his throat s un k t o the gro un d a n d died .
M d th u s pe rl s he d F ra n cisco .Pizarro the
d isc overer a n d c o n q u eror of Per u. B old skil
ful W i se patie n t a n d perseveri n g b u t cr u el
selfish a n d faithless . He m u s t have had m a n y
fe a rful tho u ght s pass thro u gh his m i n d w hile
he Sto o d d es pe ra te l y str u ggli n g for hi s l ife
a g ai n s t the s w ords of Herrada a n d his co m pa u
io n s . In o n e ho u r like this years of past cri m e
m ight cro w d i n to his m i n d . His w ro n gs t o t he
I n dia n s ; his fai thless n ess t o A t ah u alpa ; the
m ock trial a n d cr uel d eath Of t hat u n happy
ri
n ce ; his falsehood to A l m agro ; the m oc k
p
trial a n d dyi n g prayers a nd cr uel mu rde r o f
t hat old m a n hi s early frie n d . The se a n d n u
m e ro u s other cri m es of his li fe m u st have cro wd
e d i n to his m i n d a n d he m ust h ave beg un to
fe el o n e a rth the tor m e n ts whi ch al way s follo w
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LIFE OF FRAN C I SC O P IZARRO .
1 92
the fu t ure w orl d ho we ver they
m a y see m to have escaped i n this the re w ard
o f their cri m es .
A fter his death the assassi n s r a n Cut i n t o
the street w aved their bloody s w ords a n d pro
They
c lai m ed that the t y ra n t w a s dead .
w ere j oi n ed by a n u m ber of the follo w ers of
A l m agro w ho c o n d u cted hi m in a sole m n pro
cessio n thro u gh the city a n d asse m ble d th e
pri n cipal citize n s a n d c o m pelled the m to a c
k n o wledge A l m agro as his s u ccessor "
The s u c
cess of this plot dre w m a n y ad ve n tu rers to the
sta n d ard Of A l m a gro . H e wa s soo n at the head
of eight h u n dred of the bravest m e n of Per u .
A s he w a s too yo u n g to take the co m m a n d hi m
self he appoi n ted H errada t o act as his ge n eral .
Bu t the body of the people did n ot feel sa t isfied .
Pizarro had le ft m a n y frie n ds who resp ected
his m em ory a n d w ere shocked at hi s a s s a ss i
i c ers refu se d to obey A l m a
n atio n . M a n y O ff
gro u n til his a u thority wa s co n fir m ed by the
e m peror . A t C u zco m a n y prepa red t o reve n ge
the d eath of their for m er leader .
A t this ti m e de Castro the n ew j u dge ar
rived . He had had a lo n g voyage a n d bee n
for ced by bad weather to put i n to the harbor of
th e
w icked i n
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LIFE
OF
FR AN C I SC O P IZAR R O .
er death as t raitors . A l m agro who had es
cape d fro m the battle w a s betrayed by so m e of
his O ffi cers an d p ublicly beheaded i n C u zco
a n d th u s the party a n d n a m e of A l m agro w as
bro ught to a n en d .
A fter this Per u w a s for ; m an y years the
C harle s
s c e n e o f great blo odshed a n d disorder
5 th e n deavored to orga n ize a form o f govern
m eht which s ho uld preserve the q u iet if the
c o u n try . Go n zalo Pizarro fig ured co n siderabl e
i n these c o n t es ts ; b ut a fter a s uccessio n of
ba t tl es a n d revol utio n s the di ffere n t parties in
t u r n prevaili n g m en w ho Were les s desperate
an d m ore acc u sto m ed to m ove i n t he path of s o
ber i n d u stry settled in Peru ; a n d the r oyal a u
t hor ity w a s grad ually established firm ly there .
M a n y years a fter the Per uvia n s thre w Off
and
the
t he do m i n io n of the S pa n ish C ro wn
gover n m e n t i s n o w a rep u blic . I t has u n der
go n e several cha n ges a n d eve n n o w ; is n ot
q u ie ly es tablished . T he1C a pi ta l L i m a w hich
w a s fo un ded by Pizarro is n ow a rich a n d
sple n did city . B ut it ha S s uffered o fte n by vio
le n t earth qu akes . The m i n es o f the co un try
are very rich a n d have prod uced great qu a n ti
ties of gold a nd silver .
s uff
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