While Don Francisco Pizarro Was In The Province Of Poecho Between Tumbez
And Payta, Before He Marched To Caxamarca, He Received A Letter Without
Any Signature, Which It Was Afterwards Learnt Had Been Sent To Him By The
Secretary Of Don Diego De Almagro.
He was informed by this letter, that
Almagro had fitted out a large ship and several smaller vessels with
A
considerable number of soldiers, in which he proposed to sail beyond the
country of which Pizarro had taken possession, and to reduce the best
portion of Peru under his own authority, as beyond the government which
had been granted to Pizarro by his majesty, which only extended 200
leagues to the south of the equator[18]. The governor had never shewn his
patents to any person[19]; yet it was currently reported that Almagro
actually left Panama with the intention of carrying that design into
execution; but on arriving at Puertoviejo, and learning the amazing
successes of Pizarro, and the prodigious quantities of gold and silver he
had already acquired, the half of which he considered as belonging to him,
he changed his purpose, and marched with all his people to Caxamarca to
join Pizarro. On his arrival there, the greater part of the ransom of
Atahualpa was already brought, and Almagro and his followers were filled
with astonishment and admiration at the sight of the prodigious masses of
gold and silver which were there collected, more than they thought could
have been in any part of the world.
When all this gold and silver was melted down, weighed and essayed, it was
found to amount to the amazing sum of six hundred millions of _maravedies_,
or more than 4,500,000 livres. It is true that the proof or essay of this
gold was made hurriedly, and only by means of the touchstone, as they had
no _aqua fortis_ to conduct the process in a more exact manner. It
afterwards appeared that this gold had been estimated two or three
_carats_ below its real value; so that the whole amount ought to have been
reckoned at _seven_ millions of maravedies, or 5,250,000 livres. The
quantity of silver was so large, that the royal fifth amounted to 30,000
marks of fine silver, most of which was afterwards found to contain two or
three carats of gold. The royal fifth of the gold amounted to 120 millions
of maravedies, or 900,000 livres. Each horseman received for his share in
gold, without counting the silver 240 marks or 12,000 pesos, equal to
80,000 francs. The shares of the horsemen were a quarter part larger than
those of the foot soldiers. Yet all these sums did not amount to a fifth
part of what Atahualpa had engaged to pay for his ransom. Those who had
come along with Almagro, though considerable both from their rank and
number, certainly had no just title to demand any share in the treasure
which Atahualpa paid for his ransom, as they had no share in his capture;
yet the general assigned each of them 20 marks, or 1000 pesos, as a
donative to keep them in good humour.
Pizarro thought it now incumbent upon him to send intelligence to his
majesty of the success of his enterprize, for which purpose he sent over
his brother Ferdinand to Spain; and as when he departed, the precious
metals had not been melted or proved, so that it was impossible to
ascertain what was the exact share belonging to the king, two thousand
marks of gold and twenty thousand marks of silver, were set apart for this
purpose[20]. In making the selection of articles to be sent to Spain, the
largest and finest pieces were chosen, that they might have a grander
appearance: Among these were several large vessels of various kinds and
for different uses, together with figures of men and women and various
animals. When Atahualpa learnt that Ferdinand Pizarro was to embark for
Spain he was much afflicted, having a great affection for that gentleman,
in whom he reposed implicit confidence; and when Ferdinand came to take
leave, he said to him, "I am sore afflicted at your departure, for I am
much afraid the big-belly and the blinkard will put me to death in your
absence." By the former he meant Requelme the treasurer, who was very fat,
and by the latter Almagro, who had lost an eye, whom he had observed
frequently to mutter against him, for certain reasons, which will appear
in the sequel.
As Atahualpa suspected, Ferdinand Pizarro had not been long gone, when the
death of the unfortunate prince began to be talked of among the Spaniards.
This was brought about by the suggestions of an Indian named Philippillo,
who had accompanied the general into Spain, and now served him as an
interpreter with the Peruvians. He pretended that Atahualpa had secretly
laid a plan for destroying all the Spaniards; for which purpose he had a
great number of armed men concealed in various places, meaning to employ
them when a favourable opportunity occurred. The proofs and examination of
facts and circumstances respecting this alleged plot, had all to come
through Philippillo, as the only one who knew both languages; and he gave
such a turn to every thing as best suited his own views and purposes.
Accordingly the Spaniards were never able perfectly to discover the truth,
or to penetrate entirely into his motives for this procedure. It has been
alleged by some persons, that Philippillo had become amorous of one of the
wives of Atahualpa, with whom he even had a criminal intercourse, and
expected to secure the quiet possession of his mistress by the death of
that unfortunate prince. It was even reported that Atahualpa had come to
the knowledge of that amour, and had complained to Pizarro of the criminal
and even treasonable conduct of the paramours; which, by the laws of Peru,
could only be expiated by burning the guilty persons, putting to death all
their near relations, destroying all their cattle and substance, laying
waste the place of their birth, and sowing salt on the place, so as to
render the memory of the crime infamous for ever.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 167 of 216
Words from 170043 to 171086
of 221091
