Imperial ransom, which
the Spaniards certainly meant to accept, but would never have
fulfilled the alternative. - E.
[17] The sum in the text is quite vaguely expressed; perhaps pieces of
eight reals, or dollars. - E.
[18] At 17-1/2 leagues to the degree, this government accorded to Pizarro,
would have reached from about Tacames to the lat. of 11 deg. 25' S.
whereas the kingdom of Peru extends to lat. 21 deg. 35' S. and its most
valuable and richest provinces would have fallen to the share of
Almagro. - E.
[19] This expression is entirely vague, and does not even say which
governor is meant. We shall see afterwards that this project of
Almagro to appropriate the southern part of Peru took place at a
subsequent period, and involved the recent conquest in long and
destructive civil wars. - E.
[20] Reckoning the mark at _eight_ ounces, the gold at L.4, and the silver
at 5s 6d. per oz. this royal fifth would come to L.108,000, and the
whole treasure to five times that sum, or L.540,000. But as the
precious metals were then worth at least _six_ times as much as now,
or would purchase _six_ times the amount of labour or necessaries,
this first fruit of the conquest of Peru exceeded the value of three
millions sterling. - E.
[21] Of this tragical event, the illustrious Historian of America, gives a
somewhat different account, II. 310, from Herrera and Garcilasso de la
Vega; which, as much too long for a note, is subjoined in the text to
the narrative of Zarate, and distinguished by inverted commas. - E.
[22] Probably the district now called Jauja: as the x and j have nearly
the same sound in Spanish with the aspirated Greek xi. - E.
[23] Apparently Guancavelica, in which is the town of Vilca-bamba. - E.
[24] This name of _Paul_ could hardly be Peruvian. Manco Capac, a full
brother of Huascar, had been recognized as Inca at Cuzco; perhaps the
person named Paul by Zarate, is the same prince who is called Paullu
by Gardilasso, and may have received that name in baptism at an after
period. - E.
[25] This it probably an error of the press for _Condesugo_. To the south
of Cusco, and in the plain of Peru, there are two contiguous districts
named the Condesuyos of Arequipa and Cusco, which are probably the
province alluded to in the text. The term seems Spanish; but it is not
unusual with Zarate to substitute posterior names to those of the
period concerning which he writes. - E.
[26] This paragraph is added from the history of America, II. 313, to the
text of Zarate, as necessary to account for the subsequent operations
of Pizarro, after the secession of a considerable part of his original
followers.
