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.
