knowledge of affairs, and of men, that he was qualified to conduet the one, and govern the other.

Almagro had as little to boast of his descent. The one was a bastard, the other a foundling. Educated like his companion, in the camp, he was equally intrepid, of insurmountable constaney, in enduring those hardships which were inseparable from milita ry service in the New World. But in Almagro these splendid accomplishments were joined to an openness, generosity, and candour, natural to men who profess the military art. In Pizarro they were united with the address, the craft, and the dissimulation of a politician; he had the art to conceal his own purposes, and sagacity to penetrate into those of other men.

Hernando de Luque was an ecclesiastic, who acted both as priest and school-master at Panama, and who had amassed riches that inspired him with thoughts of rising to greater eminence. Such were the men who eventually overturned one of the most extensive empires recorded in history.

Their confederacy was authorised by Pedrarias, the governor of Panama, and was confirmed by the most solemn act of religion. Luque celebrated mass, divided a consecrated host into three parts, of which each had his portion, and thus, in the name of the Prince of Peace, ratified a contract, of which plunder and bloodshed were the objects.

Pizarro set sail from Panama on the fourteenth of November, 1524, with one single vessel, and an hundred and twenty men. Almagro was to conduct the supplies of provisions, and reinforcements of troops, and Luque was to remain at Panama to negoci. ate with the governor, and promote the general interest. Pizarro had chosen the most improper time of the whole year; the periodical winds at that time set in, and were directly adverse to the course he proposed to steer. After beating about for seventy days, his progress towards the southeast was no more than what a skilful navigator will make in as many hours.

Pizarro, notwithstanding his suffering incredible hardships from famine, fatigue, and the hostility of the natives where he landed, but above all, the distempers incident to a moist sultry climate, which proved fatal to several of his men; yet his resolution remained undaunted, and he endeavoured by every persuasive art, to reanimate their desponding hopes. At length he was obliged to abandon the inhospitable coast of Terra Firma, and retire to Chucama, opposite to the pearl islands, where he hoped to receive a supply of provisions and troops from Panama. Almagro soon after followed him with seventy men, and landing them on the continent, where he had hoped to meet with his associate, was repulsed by the Indians; in which conflict he lost one of his eyes, by the wound of an arrow: they likewise were compelled to reembark, and chance directed them to the place of Pizarro's re

treat, where they found some consolation in recounting to each other their sufferings. Notwithstanding all they had suffered, they were inflexibly bent to pursue their original intention. Almagro repaired to Panama, in hopes of recruiting their shattered troops; but his countrymen, discouraged at the recital of the sufferings he and Pizarro had sustained, were not to be persuaded to engage in such hard service. The most that he could muster was about fourscore men. Feeble as this reinforcement was, they did not hesitate about resuming their operation.

After a long series of disasters, part of the armament reached the bay of St. Matthew, on the coast of Quito, and landed at Tacamez, to the south of the river of Emeralds, and beheld a country more fertile than any they had yet discovered on the Southern Ocean; the natives were clad in garments of woollen, or cotton stuff, and adorned with trinkets of gold and silver. Pizarro and Almagro, however, were unwilling to invade a country so populous, with a handful of men enfeebled by diseases and fatigue.

Almagro met with an unfavourable reception from Pedro de los Rios, who had succeeded Pedrarias in the government of Panama. After weighing the matter with that cold economical prudence, esteemed the first of all virtues, by persons of limited faculties, incapable of conceiving or executing great designs, he concluded the expedition detrimental to an infant colony; prohibited the raising new levies, and despatched a vessel to bring home Pizarro and his companions from the island of Gallo.

Almagro and Luque, deeply affected with these measures, communicated their sentiments privately to Pizarro, requesting him not to relinquish an enterprize on which all their hopes depended, as the means of re-establishing their reputation and fortune. Pizarro's mind, inflexibly bent on all its pursuits, required no incentive to persist in the scheme. He peremptorily refused to obey the governor of Panama's orders, and employed all his address and eloquence in persuading his men not to abandon him. But the thoughts of revisiting their families and friends, after so long an absence, and suffering such incredible hardships, rushed with such joy into their minds, that when Pizarro drew a line upon the sand with his sword, permitting such as wished to return home to pass over it, only thirteen daring veterans remained with their commander. This small, but determined band, whose names the Spanish historians record with deserved praise, as the persons to whose persevering fortitude their country is indebted for the most valuable of all its American possessions, fixed their residence in the island of Gorgona, where they determined to wait for supplies from Panama, which they trusted their associates there would eventually procure..

Almagra and Luque were not inattentive or cold solicitors, and their incessant importunity was seconded by the general

voice of the people, who exclaimed loudly against the infamy of exposing brave men, engaged in the public service, charged with no error, but what flowed from an excess of zeal and courage. The governor, overcome with entreaties and expostulations, at last consented to send a small vessel to their relief. But unwill ing to encourage Pizarro in any new enterprize, he would not permit one land-man to embark on board it.

Pizarro and his companions had remained at this time five months on an island in the most unhealthy climate in the region of America: during which period, they were buoyed up with hopes of succours from Panama; till worn out with fruitless expectations, they in despair came to a resolution of commiting themselves to the ocean on a float; but on the arrival of the ves sel from Panama, they were transported with such joy, that all their sufferings were forgotten. Pizarro easily induced them to resume their former scheme with fresh ardour. Instead of returning to Panama, they stood towards the south-east, when on the twentieth day after their departure, they discovered the coast of Peru.

They landed in 1526, at Tumbez, a place of some note, distin guished for its stately temple, and a palace of the Incas or sove reigns of the country. There the Spaniards feasted their eyes with the first view of the opulence and civilization of the Peru vian empire: a country fully peopled and cultivated with an ap pearance of regular industry; the natives decently clothed, in genious, and so far surpassing the other natives of the New World, as to have the use of tame domestic animals. But their notice was most pleasingly attracted with the show of gold and silver, which not only appeared as ornaments on their persons and temples, but several of their vessels for common use wer made of those precious metals. Pizarro and his companion seemed now to have attained the completion of their most san guine hopes, and concluded all their wishes and dreams of ines haustible treasures, would soon be realized.

It was, however, impracticable for Pizarro, with such a sle der force to make any progress in subjugating a country so po lous, and of which he hoped hereafter to take possession. ranged, however, along the coast, maintaining a friendly inte course with the natives, who were no less astonished at th new visitants, than the Spaniards were with the uniform & pearance of opulence and cultivation which they beheld.

Having explored the country as far as was requisite to asce tain the importance of the discovery, Pizarro procured from t inhabitants some of their Limas or tame cattle, to which the S niards gave the name of sheep; some vessels of gold and silv as well as some specimens of their other works of ingenuity, two young men, whom he proposed to instruct in the Spanish

guage, that they might serve as interpreters in the expedition which he meditated. With these he arrived at Panama. Yet neither the splendid relation which he and his associates gave of the incredible opulence of the country which he had discovered, nor the bitter complaints he made on account of the unseasonable recall of his forces, which had put it out of his power to make a settlement there, could move the governor to swerve from his former purpose. His coldness, however, did not in any degree abate the ardour of the three associates; they therefore determined to solicit their sovereign to grant that permission which was refused by his delegate.

With this view, after adjusting among themselves that Pizarro should claim the station of governor, Almagro that of lieutenant governor, and Luque the dignity of bishop, in the country which they proposed to conquer, they sent Pizarro as their agent to Spain.

Pizarro lost no time in repairing to court; he appeared before the emperor with the unembarrassed dignity of a man conscious of what his services merited; and he conducted his negociations with such dexterity and address, which could not have been expected from his education or former habits of life. His description of his own sufferings, and pompous account of the country which he had discovered, confirmed by the specimens he had brought, made such an impression on Charles, and his ministers, that they not only approved of the intended expedition, but seemed to be interested in the success of its leader. Presuming upon those favourable dispositions, Pizarro paid little attention to the interest of his associates. But as the pretentions of Luque did not interfere with his own, he obtained for him the ecclesiastical dig. nity to which he aspired. For Almagro he claimed only the command of a fortress, intended to be erected at Tumbez. To imself he secured whatever his boundless ambition could desire. He was appointed governor, captain-general, and Adelantado of ll the country which he had discovered, and hoped to conquer; with supreme authority, civil as well as military, and an absolute ight to all the privileges and emoluments, usually granted to adenturers the New World. His jurisdiction was declared to xtend two hundred leagues along the coast, south of the river t. Jago; to be independent of the governor of Panama: and he ad power to nominate all the officers who were to serve under

m.

In return for these concessions, Pizarro engaged to raise two indred and fifty men, and to provide the ships, arms, and warke stores, requisite towards subjecting to the crown of Castile, e country of which the government was allotted him. Pizarro's ads were so low, that he could not complete more than half the pulated number: after he had received his patents from the

crown, he was obliged to steal away privately, out of the port of Seville, in order to elude the scrutiny of the officers who had in charge, to examine whether he had fulfilled the stipulations of his contract: before his departure, however, Cortes, who had returned to Spain, about this time, advanced him a supply of money, willing to contribute his aid towards enabling an ancient companion, with whose talents and courage he was well acquainted, to begin a career of glory, similar to that which he himself had finished.

He landed at Nombre de Dios, in 1529, and marched across the isthmus to Panama, accompanied by his three brothers, Ferdinand, Juan, and Gonzalo. Of whom the first was born of lawful wedlock, the two others, like himself, were of illegiti mate birth; and by Francisco his mother's brother. They were all in the prime of life, and of such abilities and courage, as fitted them to take a distinguished part in his subsequent transactions. Pizarro found Almagro so much exasperated at the manner in which he had conducted the negociation, that he not only refused to act any longer, in concert with a man, by whose perfidy he had been deprived of the honours and emoluments to which he had a just claim, but laboured to thwart all his schemes, and rival him in his discoveries.

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Pizarro, however, had more wisdom and address than to suffer a rupture so fatal to all his schemes, to become irreparable. offering voluntarily to relinquish the office of Adelantado, and promising to concur in soliciting that title, with an independent government for Almagro, he gradually mitigated the rage of an open hearted soldier, which had been violent, but not implacable. Luque, highly satisfied with having been successful in all his own pretentions, zealously seconded Pizarro's endeavours. A reconciliation was effected; and the confederacy renewed on its original terms.

Notwithstanding their re-union, their interest was barely sufficient to equip three small vessels; on board of these shipped only one hundred and eighty soldiers: thirty-six of whom were horsemen. Pizarro, with this contemptible force, set sail to invade a great empire. Almagro was left at Panama, as formerly, to follow him with what reinforcements he could procure. Pizarro completed the voyage in thirteen days, but was carried by the winds and currents above a hundred leagues north of Tumbez, the place of his destination, and was obliged to land his troops in the bay of St. Matthew. Without losing a moment, he began to advance towards the south, taking care, however, not to depart from the sea shore, that he might effect a junction with the supplies he expected from Panama.

Pizarro, in attacking the natives when he ought to obtain their confidence, subjected himself and his followers to many calami