gave them up to be massacred by their enemies, the people of that city. The islanders, provoked by this outrage, attacked the Spanish quarters in great force. They were, however, though several thousand in number, defeated and dispersed by the fire-arms and cavalry of the invaders. During this battle, it is said that Michael the Archangel was seen in the air, with sword and shield, fighting valiantly against Satan and his legions"but hardly had the Castilians shouted 'victory,' when the devils fled away, and, a great whirlwind gathering in the air, terrible voices were heard, crying "Thou conquerest! Michael, Thou conquerest!' From this circumstance, Don Francisco Pizarro felt such devotion to the said Archangel, that he vowed to call by his name the first city he should found,”—a vow to which the city of San Miguel still bears witness.

Notwithstanding their defeat, the islanders kept up a ha rassing warfare, and Pizarro hailed with joy the arrival of a vessel with a reinforcement of a hundred men. They were commanded by Hernando de Soto, afterwards famous for the Conquest of Florida and the discovery of the Mississippi. Strengthened by this addition to his force, the general now resolved to cross over to the mainland, and try his fortunes in the golden recesses of Peru.

CHAPTER V.

THE PEOPLE OF PERU-TRADITION OF THEIR ORIGIN-GOVERNMENT, "A

99

PATERNAL DESPOTISM -THEIR CIVILIZATION—Their religiON—

WORSHIP Of the sun-superstitiONS-DIVISION of the

EMPIRE-DEFEAT OF HUASCAR AND ENTHRONEMENT

OF ATAHUAllpa.

PERHAPS the most extraordinary system of human community ever recorded in history, was that of the Peruvians when first discovered by their European invaders. The origin, both of the nation and its remarkable rulers, was, of course, among a

people deficient in written records, lost in fable and tradition. According to the native history (or mythology), in a remote age there appeared on the banks of Lake Titiaca, a man and woman, of majestic appearance, and clothed in decent raiment. These mysterious personages, Manco Capac and Mama Ocollo, declared themselves the Children of the Sun, sent by that beneficent luminary to rescue the human race from its abyss of misery and ignorance. Collecting the savage tribes, who wandered the adjoining regions, they taught them the arts of civ ilized life, and instituted a regular government. They founded the city of Cuzco, and bequeathed to their descendants, the long line of Incas, the growing empire of Peru.

Conquest continually advanced its boundaries; and by the sixteenth century it comprised a vast extent of country, stretching, for nearly two thousand miles, along the Pacific, and embracing a variety of conquered or dependant races. The government of all, both Peruvian and subjected, was the most perfect specimen of a "paternal despotism" which has ever been presented to the eye of the world. The Inca was absolute, and all the inhabitants of his vast dominions did not possess the shadow of a right or law apart from his sovereign will. Nor was this portentous assertion of authority a mere înstrument of terror, produced only on state occasions, to overawe the refractory or minister to the caprice of the sovereign. It formed an integral and engrossing portion of the life of every man, woman and child throughout the Peruvian domains. Industry, food, clothing, shelter, domestic relations, amusements, every thing, were under the direct supervision of government. No one was allowed to be idle. No one was permitted to suf fer from want. Education, marriage, social intercourse, were all under strict regulation. In such a place the subject must reside; such and such work, at stated times, he must perform; at such an age he must take a certain wife; and he must bring up his children in a fixed and certain manner. "The imperative spirit of despotism would not allow them be happy or miserable in any way but that established by law. The power

to

of free agency-the inestimable and inborn right of every human being-was annihilated in Peru.”*

Despotism, says a profound but popular writer, may be borne, but the intermeddling of a royal busy-body is too much for human nature.

This rule, accurately enough applied to the sprightlier people of Europe, may have its exceptions; for, strange to say, among the Peruvians, this apparently vexatious system seems to have worked well. It was, indeed, remarkably accordant with the gentle, industrious, and custom-loving disposition of the races to which it was applied; and few more pleasing pictures of rural quiet and tranquillity exist, than those which are given of this people under its primitive government.

Under this strange supervision, too, it is evident that the Peruvian race was gradually approaching civilization. An enlightened system of agriculture, irrigation, and husbandry in general, was pursued; and the splendid roads and causeways, carried over the terrible heights and through the almost impassable ravines of the Andes, still attest a high degree of mechanical skill, as well as indomitable industry.

The religion of the original Peruvians was, for an idolatry, far superior in refinement and humanity to that of most of the American races. Their chief deity was the Sun, whom they venerated as the fountain of life, and on whose altars they offered their choicest sacrifices. His temple in Cuzco was literally covered with gold, attached in resplendent plates to the walls; that of his bride and sister, the moon, being similarly adorned with silver, as more suited to the nature of that chaste and modest luminary. Human sacrifices were rare, were unpolluted by cannibalism, and were only offered on the most momentous occasions. But many of the races which, by conquest or encroachment, had fallen under the Peruvian sway, exercised grosser idolatries and rites more frequently sanguinary. The Incas, with a politic toleration, not only spared the idols of vanquished provinces, but were even in the habit of

* Prescott.

transporting them to the capital, and defraying the expenses. of their worship from the royal treasury. An old writer, after an enumeration, extending over many pages, of the hideous rites and abominable devices of the remoter tribes, severely concludes:

* *

"It were an endlesse toyle to reckon vp all the superstitions of Peru, in which were so many nations, agreeing in disagreeing from truth, yet disagreeing in their diuersified errours. To let passe Paucura, which fatte, sacrifice, and eate their captiues, and euery tuesday offer two Indians to the Deuill; and the drunken Prouince of Carrapa, where they eate little and drinke much, * * * * *; the Mitimaes, which are earely at their meate, and make but one drinking in the day, (which lastes from morning till night) *; the Canari put their wiues to the drudgery abroade, while themselues spinne, weaue, tricke vp themselues, and performe other womanish functions at home; The Galani make their captiues drunke, and then the chiefe Prieste cutteth off their heads and sacrificeth them. Generally, in the mountaines they were more cruell, but all obserued bloudie, beastly, diabolicall ceremonies, the recounting whereof must needes weary the patientest Reader." Such accounts, received from prejudiced sources, must be taken with some grains of allowance, but it is certain that a tendency to strong drink and protracted revelry was a Peruvian failing-cherished by the facility with which their maize was converted into intoxicating liquors.

At the time of the Spanish invasion, the throne of the Incas, disputed by rival claimants, had been only recently secured by the victor. Huayna Capac, one of the wisest and most powerful of the Incas, the conqueror of Quito, at his death, in 1525, had divided his empire between two sons, giving Peru to Huascar, and the lately-subdued kingdom of the north to Atahuallpa, whose mother was a princess of the fallen dynasty. For five years the half-brothers ruled in apparent amity, each in his own domain. At the end of that time, jealousy or some uncertain questions of dispute, brought

about a collision of the rival sovereigns. The contest, after various indecisive actions, was finally decided in a great battle, near the mountain of Chimborazo. Atahuallpa, who com manded his own forces, defeated the Peruvians, with terrible slaughter, and pushed rapidly into the heart of his brother's dominions. In a second engagement, fought by Huascar in defence of his capital, the generals of his rival were again successful, after an obstinate and bloody engagement, lasting an entire day. The unfortunate Inca was taken captive, and Cuzco fell into the hands of his enemies. He was held in strict confinement, while his fortunate rival took undisputed possession of his kingdom, and assumed the imperial title of Inca of Peru.

CHAPTER VI.

DESERTION OF TUMBEZ-MARCH SOUTHWARD-SAN MIGUEL FOUNDED THE NATIVES ENSLAVED-PIZARRO MARCHES IN QUEST OF THE INCA -CROSSES THE ANDES-ARRIVAL AT CAXAMALCA-VISIT TO ATAHUALLPA-HIS INDIAN DEMEANOR-DARING AND

TREACHEROUS RESOLUTION OF PIZARRO.

PIZARRO, having decided on active measures, lost no time. in transporting his forces from Puna to the neighboring town of Tumbez. On landing, he was surprised at the hostile reception which he met from a body of natives, and still more at finding the town almost entirely demolished. The temple was stripped of its precious ornaments, and nothing-remained to satiate the thirst of his followers for the vaunted gold. Two Spaniards, whom he had left here on his former voyage, had disappeared; but a note is said to have been given him by an Indian, containing the alluring announcement-"Know, whoever you may be, that may chance to set foot in this country, that it contains more gold and silver than there is iron in