History of Guatemala. 381 to be the cause of the deplorable events in that kingdom-events which are distinctly appreciable to this day. In a word, the history of Guatemala can not well be passed over by any one who wishes to understand the complicated series of transactions which constitute the history of that vast extent of country which stretches from California to Chili, and includes eighty degrees of latitude on the earth's surface. NOTE. It is to be regretted that there are not materials for a fuller history of Guatemala during the period of the Spanish Conquest. I had hoped to have obtained copies of some of its early records which Remesal must have seen, but have been disappointed; and, indeed, the troublous state of the republic necessarily prevents attention being given to the claims of literature. Much work has to be done by the antiquary, the geographer, and the man of science, before an historian will be able to write such an account of this country as should satisfy himself. The geography, for instance, is in such a state that the map-maker to this work, Mr. Morgan, and myself, after having bestowed much time and great consideration, can only offer with the greatest diffidence the maps of Guatemala here presented, considering them as mere approximations to the truth. Moreover, we can not be bound by the statements of the early conquerors as to the distances they traversed on any particular occasion. Nor can we undertake to correct their statements; for what may appear preposterous to us, with our better knowledge of the country, may still be true, and the distances mentioned by the conquerors may actually have been the distances traversed by them. Again, the Spanish league, as it was interpreted by these men on occasions when they were suffering from want of guides, from hunger and fatigue, was a very elastic measure, and perhaps corresponded in vagueness with a German stunde. To show how easy it is to be deceived in endeavoring to recall the geography of the past, I will refer to one of the reasons assigned by the historian Fuentes y Guzmán for placing the ancient city of the Kachiquels close to the first city built by the Spaniards. "It is contrary to common sense," he argues, "to suppose, with Vasquez, that the first conquerors, after having taken up their quarters in Guatemala, would again quit it for the purpose of encamping in a wilderness; because, if these men, who came to receive the homage and obedience 382 Geography of Guatemala. of Sinacam, were peaceably received by that monarch, settled and feasted in his residence, why should they quit all these conveniences, at the hazard of incurring the ill-will of the sovereign, to found a city and build themselves habitations, when the capital of the kingdom was at their command; to fatigue themselves in search of every thing they wanted, when they could enjoy inexhaustible abundance in the city?" -JUARROS, English translation, p. 402. This reasonable supposition is at once upset, or greatly invalidated, by a single fact, namely, that when Bernal Diaz came in Alvarado's company to ancient Guatemala, though the Indian buildings were in existence, and were noble edifices, the Spaniards, after sleeping one night in the city, went out and encamped near it for ten days. "Passamos á dormir á la ciudad, y estavan los aposentos y las casas con tan buenos edificios y ricos, en fin como de Caciques que mandavan todas las Provincias comarcanas, y desde allí nos salimos á lo llano, y hızimos ranchos y choças, y estuvimos en ellos diez dias."-BERNAL Diaz, cap. 193. The truth is, that a city, however well built for one people, seldom suits another. The Spaniards had horses; the Guatemalans had never seen such animals, and, of course, had not provided for them in their towns. I allude to the above controversy about the site of Guatemala merely to point out the difficulties of reviving ancient geography, and the cautious spirit of criticism with which any such attempt should be received. CHAPTER I. THE EARLY LIFE AND VOYAGES OF PIZARRO. CHAPTER II. PIZARRO GOES TO THE SPANISH COURT.-RETURNS TO PANAMÁ. -STARTS FOR THE CONQUEST OF PERU.-FOUNDS THE TOWN OF SAN MIGUEL. CHAPTER III. THE HISTORY, LAWS, RELIGION, AND CUSTOMS OF PERU PREVIOUS TO THE CONQUEST, AND THE STATE OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. CHAPTER IV. PIZARRO MARCHES FROM SAN MIGUEL TO CASSAMARCA.-PROJECTED INTERVIEW BETWEEN PIZARRO AND ATAHUALLPA.-ROUT OF THE PERUVIANS AND CAPTURE OF THE INCA. CHAPTER V. AGREEMENT FOR ATAHUALLPA'S RANSOM.-FERDINAND PIZARRO's JOURNEY TO THE TEMPLE OF PACHACAMÁC.-MESSENGERS SENT TO CUSCO.-ARRIVAL OF ALMAGRO AT THE CAMP OF CASSAMARCA. CHAPTER VI. GUASCAR INCA'S FATE.-ATAHUALLPA'S TRIAL.-ATAHUALLPA'S EXECUTION. CHAPTER I. THE EARLY LIFE AND VOYAGES OF PIZARRO. THIS HIS history would be very imperfect without some account, however brief, of the conquest of Peru. It was in those golden regions that the narrative of the Spanish Conquest assumed its darkest and its brightest colors. The kingdoms of Mexico and Peru are the two best known, if not the two most important centres of Indian civilization. There are other parts of America, which, from their being among the earliest discoveries, such as Hispaniola; or from their becoming the starting-points of remarkable expeditions, such as Cuba and the Terra-firma; or from their being the occasional residence of those men who were most concerned in the Spanish legislation for the Indies, such as Guatemala, require to have their histories told. But Mexico and Peru, both from their extent and from their civilization, necessarily demand a large share of our attention, as they did that of the Spanish conquerors and of the Spanish court. The name that first occurs, even to most children, on the mention of the word Peru, is that of Pizarro. To the readers of this work he is already well known, as they will have noticed that he had been concerned in some of the most remarkable enterprises in the Terra-firma. When Ojeda parted from his little band of men at San Sebastian, promising to return in fifty days, Pizarro was left in command. When Comogre's* son VOL. III. R * See vol i., p. 328. |