THE HISTORY OF AMERICA. BOOK VI. VI. 1523. Schemes for Peru. FROM ROM the time that Nugnez de Balboa difco- BOOK vered the great Southern Ocean, and received the first obfcure hints concerning the opulent countries with which it might open a difcovering communication, the wishes and schemes of every enterprising perfon in the colonies of Darien and Panama were turned towards the wealth of those unknown regions. In an age when the spirit of adventure was fo ardent and vigorous, that large fortunes were wafted, and the most alarming dangers braved, in pursuit of difcoveries merely poffible, the fainteft ray of hope was followed with an eager expectation, and the flightest information was fufficient to inspire fuch perfect H 4 Unfuccefs ful for fome time. 1524. Undertaken moft-arduous undertakings*, were ACCORDINGLY, feveral armaments fitted out in order to explore and take poffeffion of the countries to the east of Panama, but under the conduct of leaders whofe talents and refources were unequal to the attempt. As the excurfions of thofe adventurers did not extend beyond the limits of the province to which the Spaniards have given the name of Tierra Firmè, a mountainous region covered with woods, thinly inhabited, and extremely unhealthy, they returned with difmal accounts concerning the diftreffes to which they had been expofed, and the unpromising aspect of the places which they had vifited. Damped by these tidings, the rage for discovery in that direction abated; and it became the general opinion, that Balboa had founded vifionary hopes, on the tale of an ignorant Indian, ill understood, or calculated to deceive. BUT there were three perfons fettled in Paby Pizarro, nama, on whom the circumftances which Almagro, and Luque. deterred others made fo little impreffion, that at a See NOTE X. b Calancha Coronica, p. 100. the VI. 1524. the very moment when all confidered Balboa's BOOK expectations of discovering a rich country, by fteering towards the eaft, as chimerical, they resolved to attempt the execution of his scheme. The names of thofe extraordinary men were Francifco Pizarro, Diego de Almagro, and Hernando Luque. Pizarro was the natural fon of a gentleman of an honourable family by a very low woman, and, according to the cruel fate which often attends the offspring of unlawful love, had been so totally neglected in his youth by the author of his birth, that he feems to have destined him never to rife beyond the condition of his mother. In confequence of this ungenerous idea, he fet him, when bordering on manhood, to keep hogs. But the aspiring mind of young Pizarro difdaining that ignoble occupation, he abruptly abandoned his charge, enlifted as a foldier, and, after ferving fome years in Italy, embarked for America, which, by opening fuch a boundless range to active. talents, allured every adventurer whofe fortune was not equal to his ambitious thoughts. There Pizarro early distinguished himself. With a temper of mind no lefs daring than the conftitution of his body was robuft, he was foremost in every danger, patient under the greatest hardships, and unfubdued by any fatigue. Though fo illiterate that he could not even read, he BOOK he was foon confidered as a man formed to com VI. 1524. mand. Every operation committed to his conduct proved fuccefsful, as, by a happy but rare conjunction, he united perfeverance with ardour, and was as cautious in executing, as he was bold in forming his plans. By engaging early in active life, without any refource but his own talents and industry, and by depending on himfelf alone in his ftruggles to emerge from obfcurity, he acquired fuch a thorough knowledge of affairs, and of men, that he was fitted to affume a fuperior part in conducting the former, and in governing the latter. ALMAGRO had as little to boaft of his defcent as Pizarro. The one was a baftard, the other a foundling. Bred, like his companion, in the camp, he yielded not to him in any of the foldierly qualities of intrepid valour, indefatigable activity, or infurmountable conftancy in enduring the hardships infeparable from military fervice in the New World. But in Almagro these virtues were accompanied with the opennefs, generofity, and candour, natural to men whofe profeffion is arms; in Pizarro, they were united with the addrefs, the craft, and the Herrera, dec. 1 & 2, paffim. dec. 4. lib. vi. c. 107, Gomara Hift. c. 144. Zarate, lib. 4. c. 9. diffimulation VI. diffimulation of a politician, with the art of con- BOOK cealing his own purposes, and with fagacity to penetrate into those of other men. HERNANDO DE LUQUE was an ecclefiaftic, who acted both as prieft and fchoolmaster at Panama, and, by means which the contemporary writers have not described, had amaffed riches that infpired him with thoughts of rifing to greater eminence. 1524. their affoci SUCH were the men destined to overturn one Terms of of the most extenfive empires on the face of the ation. earth. Their confederacy for this purpose was authorised by Pedrarias, the governor of Panama. Each engaged to employ his whole fortune in the adventure. Pizarro, the least wealthy of the three, as he could not throw fo large a fum as his affociates into the common stock, engaged to take the department of greatest fatigue and danger, and to command in perfon the armament which was to go first upon discovery. Almagro offered to conduct the fupplies of provifions and reinforcements of troops, of which Pizarro might ftand in need. Luque was to remain at Panama to negociate with the governor, and fuperintend whatever was carrying on for the general interest. As the fpirit of enthusiasm uniformly accompanied that of adventure in the New World, and by |