sought for diligently, but without penetrating far enough to discover it. These accounts raised their hopes afresh, and made them determine to continue the enterprise, no matter to what danger they might be exposed. Pizarro had another reason for rejoicing at meeting with Almagro, since this last could so well go and plead their cause before the governor.

At the time they returned, the governor was very much occupied in preparing to march in person to quell a disturbance that had arisen in Nicaragua, one of the Spanish dependencies. He had not time to listen to all their magnificent promises for the future; and they had not brought sufficient gold to excite his cupidity. Consequently, he was in little humour to assist them in any way, and indeed positively forbade their attempting any further voyages, and, except for the interference of Father Lucque, the conquest of Peru would have been crushed at the outset.

At his earnest request, Pedrarias gave a reluctant assent to their application, and stipulated that he would renounce all claim to the profits they might gain, if, in consideration of his kindness in permitting them to sail from Panama, they would secure to him the sum of one thousand pesos de oro, with which offer they gladly closed. Little did Pedrarias know what this agreement cost him! In thinking of a present gain, he sacrificed all claim to a share in the future profits of the adventurers; but then we must remember, that he was at that time in great want of money to carry on his war, and that he looked upon the schemes of Pizarro with great distrust.

After the confederates had settled with Pedrarias, they entered into a solemn contract among themselves about the division of the land they expected to conquer. Lucque, whose whole fortune was at stake, was to receive a third of whatever they obtained, either in land, treasures of any kind, gold or silver; and in case of the failure of the two captains in accomplishing what they had undertaken, they pledged them

selves to restore to him all he had advanced.

This contract

was dated March 10th, 1526, but was signed by only one of the parties, for neither Pizarro nor Almagro could write, and it was therefore attested for them by three respectable citizens of Panama.

CHAPTER III.

THE CONQUEST OF PERU.

THE empire of Peru, at the period of the Spanish invasion, stretched along the coast of the Pacific from about the second degree north to the thirty-seventh degree of south latitude: a line which describes the western boundaries of the modern republics of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Chili. The breadth of the empire cannot so easily be determined; for, though bounded everywhere by the great ocean on the west, towards the east it spread out, in many parts, considerably beyond the mountains, to the confines of barbarous states, whose exact position is undetermined, or whose names are effaced from the page of history. It is certain, however, that its breadth was altogether disproportioned to its length.

The topographical aspect of the country is very remarkable. A strip of land rarely exceeding twenty leagues in width, runs along the coast, and is hemmed in through its whole extent by a colossal range of mountains, which, advancing from the Straits of Magellan, reaches its highest elevation—indeed the highest on the American continent-at about the seventeenth degree south, and after crossing the line, gradually subsides into hills of inconsiderable magnitude, as it enters the Isthmus of Panama. This is the famous Cordillera of the Andes, or, as they are termed by the natives, "Copper Mountains," though they might with more reason have been called "Mountains of Gold."

B

Arranged sometimes in a single line, though more frequently in two or three lines running parallel or obliquely to each other, magnificent ridges seem to the voyager on the ocean but one continuous chain; while the huge volcanoes, which, to the inhabitants of the table-land, look like solitary and independent masses, appear to him only like so many peaks of the same vast and magnificent range.

The face of the country would appear to be peculiarly unfavourable to the purposes both of agriculture and of internal communication. The sandy strip along the coast, where rain never falls, is fed only by a few scanty streams, that furnish a remarkable contrast to the vast volumes of water which roll down the eastern sides of the Cordilleras into the Atlantic. The precipitous steeps of the sierra, with its splintered sides of porphyry and granite, and its higher regions wrapped in snows that never melt even under the fierce sun of the equator (unless it be from the desolating action of its own volcanic fires), might seem equally unpropitious to the labours of the husbandman. All communication, too, between the parts of the long-extended territory might be thought to be precluded by the savage character of the region, broken up by precipices, furious torrents, and impassable quebradas-those hideous rents in the mountain chain, whose depths the eye of the terrified traveller, as he winds along his aerial pathway, vainly endeavours to fathom. Yet the industry—we might almost say the genius-of the Indian, was sufficient to overcome all these impediments of nature.

By a judicious system of canals and subterraneous aqueducts, the waste places on the coast were refreshed by copious streams that clothed them in fertility and beauty. Terraces were raised upon the steep sides of the Cordilleras; and as the different elevations had the effect of difference of latitude, they exhibited in regular gradation every variety of vegetable form, from the stimulated growth of the tropics to the temperate products of a northern clime; while flocks of llamas-the

Peruvian sheep-wandered with their shepherds over the broad snow-covered wastes on the crests of the sierra, which rose beyond the limits of cultivation. An industrious population settled along the lofty regions of the plateaus, and towns and hamlets clustering amidst orchards and widespreading gardens, seemed suspended in the air, far above the ordinary elevation of the clouds.

Intercourse was maintained between these numerous settlements by means of the great roads which traversed the mountain passes, and opened an easy communication between the capital and the distant parts of the empire. One of these stupendous works is described, as being conducted over pathless sierras (mountains) buried in snow. The word sierra is used, because the different points give the range an appearance like the teeth of a saw. Galleries were cut for leagues through the living rock; rivers were crossed by means of bridges that swung suspended in the air; precipices were scaled by stairways hewn out of the native bed; ravines of hideous depth were filled up with solid masonry-in short, all the difficulties that beset a wild and mountainous region were encountered and successfully overcome by these persevering people.

The Peruvian princes were called Incas. They were considered to have derived their origin in the first instance from the sun, and were reverenced by their subjects as more than human. All their descendants in the male line were considered noble, and honoured as such. Instead of a crown being worn to distinguish the royal person from the crowds of Inca nobles (his relations) who attended him, the Inca wore a turban of many-coloured folds, called the llautu; and a tasselled fringe of a scarlet colour, called the borla, encircled his forehead; two feathers of a rare and curious bird, called the coraquenque, were placed upright in it, and these were the distinguishing insignia of royalty. Every new monarch was provided with a new pair of these plumes, which were obtained from birds found in a desert country along the mountains.

When the Inca was not occupied in making a tour or progress through his dominions, he resided either at Cuzco, the capital, or at Yucay, about four leagues distant from it. In point of architectural elegance, there is nothing to remark in the buildings in these two places; but in richness of ornament they could not be surpassed. The sides of the royal apartments were thickly studded with gold and silver, the walls were adorned with niches, in which were placed ornaments, and figures of animals, of the same precious metals; and many pieces of furniture in common use were also made of gold.

The situation of this capital was very beautiful. It stood in a rich valley, which towards the north was defended by a lofty eminence, a spur of the great Cordillera; and the city was traversed by a river, or rather a small stream, over which bridges of timber, covered with heavy slabs of stone, furnished an easy means of communication with the opposite banks. Cuzco was called by the Peruvians the Holy City, and contained a magnificent temple, dedicated to the sun, which they worshipped, and believed to be the source of their royal dynasty. No wealth was spared to enrich the Temples of the Sun; gold was as freely distributed as mortar, and every precious stone that could be procured was employed to do them honour.

There was a custom among the Peruvians, by which, on the death of the reigning Inca, his palaces were shut up, and everything that had belonged to him was left untouched. His successor had, therefore, to amass fresh treasures of gold and silver for his own use; but this was not difficult to do in Peru, where the mountains were rich with precious metals. Besides, the natives understood the art of working the mines to a considerable extent, and none of the gold they obtained was converted into coin, the use of which was unknown among them.

As the Incas died, their bodies were skilfully embalmed,