On These
Heads Of Accusation, Some Of Which Are So Ludicrous, And Others So Absurd,
That The Effrontery Of Pizarro,
In making them the subject of a serious
procedure, is not less surprizing than his injustice, did this strange
court
Go on to try the sovereign of a great empire, over whom it had no
jurisdiction. With respect to each of the articles, witnesses were
examined; but as they delivered their evidence in their native tongue,
Philippillo had it in his power to give their words whatever turn best
suited his malevolent intentions. To judges pre-determined in their
opinion, this evidence appeared sufficient. They pronounced Atahualpa
guilty, and condemned him to be burnt alive. Friar Valverde prostituted
the authority of his sacred function to confirm this sentence, and by his
signature warranted it to be just. Astonished at his fate, Atahualpa
endeavoured to avert it by tears, by promises, and by entreaties that he
might be sent to Spain, where a monarch would be the arbiter of his lot.
But pity never touched the unfeeling heart of Pizarro. He ordered him to
be led instantly to execution; and, what added to the bitterness of his
last moments, the same monk who had just ratified his doom, offered to
console, and attempted to convert him. The most powerful argument Valverde
employed to prevail with him to embrace the Christian faith, was a promise
of mitigation in his punishment. The dread of a cruel death extorted from
the trembling victim a desire of receiving baptism. The ceremony was
performed; and Atahualpa, instead of being burnt alive, was strangled at
the stake."
Ruminagui, one of the captains under Atahualpa, who had fled with five
thousand men from Caxamarca, as already related, having arrived in the
kingdom of Quito, seized the children of Atahualpa, and made himself
master of that country as if he had been the lawful sovereign. A short
time before his death, Atahualpa had sent his brother Illescas into the
kingdom of Quito, with orders to bring his children from thence; but
Ruminagui not only refused to deliver them up, but even put them all to
death. After the death of Atahualpa, some of his principal officers,
according to his dying commands, carried his body to Quito that it might
be interred beside the remains of his father Huana capac. Ruminagui
received them in the most honourable manner, with every outward mark of
affection and respect, and caused the body of Atahualpa to be buried with
much pomp and solemnity, according to the custom of the country. After the
ceremony, he gave a grand entertainment to the officers of the late
unfortunate monarch, at which, when they were intoxicated, he caused them
all to be put to death, together with Illescas the brother of Atahualpa.
He caused this person to be flead alive, and had a drum covered with his
skin, inclosing his head in the inside of the drum.
After the governor Pizarro had made a repartition of all the gold and
silver which was found in Caxamarca, he learned that one of the officers
of Atahualpa, named Quizquiz, had assembled some troops in the province of
_Xauxa_[22], and endeavoured to excite an insurrection in the country.
Pizarro therefore marched against him, but Quizquiz durst not wait for him
in Xauxa, and retreated to a greater distance. Pizarro pursued, causing
Hernando de Soto to lead the van with a party of horse, while he led the
rear or main body himself. While advancing in this order into the province
of _Vilcacinga_[23], Soto was unexpectedly attacked by a vast body of
Peruvians, and in great danger of being totally defeated, five or six of
his men being slain; but on the approach of night, the Peruvians retreated
to a mountain, and the governor sent on Almagro with a reinforcement of
cavalry to Soto. Early next morning the fight was resumed, and the
Spaniards endeavoured to draw the Peruvians into the plain, by pretending
to retreat, that they might not be exposed to the prodigious quantity of
stones which the Indians hurled down upon them from the mountain. The
Peruvians seemed aware of this stratagem, as they continued to defend
their position on the mountain; though they were not apprized of the
reinforcement which Soto had received, as the morning was thick and misty.
Being unable to induce their enemies to descend from their advantageous
situation, the Spaniards assailed the Peruvians with so much resolution,
that they drove them from their position with considerable slaughter, and
forced them to take to flight.
At this place, a brother of the late Incas, Huascar and Atahualpa, named
_Paul_ Inca_[24], came to Pizarro under pretence of entering into terms of
peace and submission. After the death of his brothers, this prince had
been recognised as king of Peru, and had been invested with the fringed
fillet, which answered among the Peruvians as the crown or emblem of
supreme rule. The Inca told the governor that he had a very considerable
force of warriors in Cuzco, all of whom only waited his arrival to submit
to his orders. Pizarro accordingly marched towards that city, and arrived
within sight of it after several days march. So thick a smoke was seen to
arise from the city, that Pizarro suspected the Peruvians had set it on
fire, and immediately sent on a detachment of cavalry to endeavour if
possible to prevent the destruction of the city. On their arrival near
Cuzco, a vast body of Peruvians issued from the city and attacked them
with great violence, with stones, darts, and other arms; insomuch that the
Spaniards were forced to retreat above a league to rejoin the main body of
the army which was commanded by Pizarro in person. He immediately detached
the greater part of his cavalry under the command of his brothers Juan and
Gonzalo, who attacked the enemy with so much courage and impetuosity, that
they were soon defeated and many Peruvians were slain in the pursuit.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 169 of 216
Words from 172088 to 173092
of 221091
