26' S. is the island of
Pachacamac, probably indicating the situation of the ancient province
of that name. - E.
[30] The first of the Incas is named by Robertson, II. 290. and III. 47.
Manco Capac. - E.
[31] By Zarate this Inca is named Guaynacava, but the more general name
used by Garcilasso de la Vega and other Spanish writers, and from them
by the illustrious Robertson, is adopted in this translation. - E.
[32] Garcilasso de la Vega, p. 65, describes the bridge over the Apurimac
not far from Cuzco, as about two hundred paces in length. He says that
its floor consisted of three great cables as thick as the body of a
man; having another cable on each side, a little raised, to serve as
rails. The two hundred toises or four hundred yards of the text seem
an exaggeration; perhaps a mistake of the French translator. - E.
[33] This prince is called Atabaliba by Zarate, and Atabalipa by some
other writers, but we have chosen to follow the illustrious historian
of America in naming him Atahualpa. - E.
[34] These names are not to be found in our best modern maps of Peru: but
some other names not unlike, as Mayobamba, Chachapoyas, Partas, and
Caxamarca, are in the present bishopric of Truxillo, the most northern
in Peru proper, and therefore likely to have been the seat of war
against the revolters in Quito. - E.
[35] The whole of this appendix to the first section is an addition to
Zarate, extracted from Garcilasso de la Vega and Robertson; which,
being too long for a note, has been placed in the text. The
introductory part of this deduction is from the History of America,
Vol. II p. 289. The list of kings is from Garcilasso, whose
disarranged work is too confused for quotation. - E.
[36] By some authors an Inca Roca is here interposed, who was deposed
after a reign of eleven days. - E.
SECTION II.
_Transactions of Pizarro and the Spaniards in Peru, from the commencement
of the Conquest, till the departure of Almagro for the Discovery of Chili_.
After the return of Don Francisco Pizarro from Spain to Panama, he made
every preparation in his power for the conquest of Peru, in which he was
not seconded with the same spirit as formerly by his companion Almagro, by
which their affairs were considerably retarded, as Almagro was the richer
man and had greater credit among the settlers. Diego Almagro, as formerly
mentioned, was much dissatisfied with Pizarro for having neglected his
interest in his applications to his majesty; but at length became pacified
by his apologies and promises, and their friendship was renewed; yet
Almagro could never be thoroughly reconciled to the brothers of Pizarro,
more especially Ferdinand, against whom he had a rooted dislike. Owing to
these disputes a considerable time elapsed; but at length Ferdinand Ponce
de Leon[1] fitted out a ship which belonged to him, in which Don Francisco
Pizarro embarked with all the soldiers he could procure, which were very
few in number, as the people in Panama were much discouraged by the great
difficulties and hardships which had been suffered in the former attempt,
and the poor success which had then been met with[2]. Pizarro set sail
about the commencement of the year 1531; and in consequence of contrary
winds was obliged to land on the coast of Peru a hundred leagues more to
the north than he intended[3]; by which means he was reduced to the
necessity of making a long and painful march down the coast, where he and
his troops suffered great hardships from scarcity of provisions, and by
the extreme difficulty of crossing the different rivers which intersected
their line of march, all of which they had to pass near their mouths,
where they are wide and deep, insomuch that both men and horses had often
to pass them by swimming. The courage and address of Pizarro was
conspicuous amidst these difficulties, by encouraging the soldiers, and
frequently exposing himself to danger for their relief, even assisting
those who were unable to swim. They arrived at length at a place named
_Coaque_[4] on the sea side, which was well peopled, and where they
procured abundance of provisions to refresh and restore them after the
hardships and privations they had undergone. From that place, Pizarro sent
back one of his vessels to Panama, and the other to Nicaragua, sending by
them above 30,000 _castillanas_[5] of gold, which he had seized at Coaque,
to encourage fresh adventurers to join him, by giving a specimen of the
riches of the country. At Coaque the Spaniards found some excellent
emeralds, as this country being under the line, is the only place where
such precious stones are to be had. Several of these were destroyed by the
Spaniards, who broke them in order to examine their nature; as they were
so ignorant as to believe that good emeralds ought to bear the hammer
without breaking, like diamonds. Believing therefore that the Indians
might impose false stones upon them, they broke many of great value
through their ignorance. The Spaniards were here afflicted by a singular
disease, formerly mentioned, which produced a dangerous kind of warts or
wens on their heads faces and other parts of their body, extremely sore
and loathsome, of which some of the soldiers died, but most of them
recovered, though almost every one was less or more affected.
Leaving Coaque on account of this strange disease, which Pizarro
attributed to the malignity of the air, he marched on to that province or
district in which _Puerto Viejo_ now stands, and easily reduced all the
surrounding country to subjection. The captains Sebastian Benalcazar and
Juan Fernandez joined him at this place, with a small reinforcement of
horse and foot, which they brought from Nicaragua[6].
Having reduced the province of Puerto Viejo to subjection, Pizarro
proceeded with all his troops to the harbour of _Tumbez_, whence he
determined to pass over into the island of Puna, which is opposite to that
port.