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CHAP. V. 



First Expedition of the Spaniards to Chili. 



Francis Pizarro and Diego Almagro baving 

 put to death the Inca Atahualpa, had subjected 

 the empire of Peru to the dominion of Spain. 

 Pizarro, desirous of enjojing without a rival 

 this important conquest, made at their mutual 

 expense, persuaded his companion to undertake 

 the reduction of Chili, celebrated for its riches 

 throughout all those countries. Almagro, filled 

 with sanguine expectations of booty, began his 

 march for that territory in the end of the year 

 1535, with an army composed of 570 Spaniards 

 and 15,000 Peruvians, under the command of 

 Paullu, the brother of the Inca Manco, the 

 nominal Emperor of Peru, who had succeeded 

 the unfortunate Atahualpa. 



Two roads lead from Peru to Chili ; one is by 

 the sea-coast, and is destitute of water and pro- 

 Tision ; the other, for a distance of 120 miles, 

 passes over the immense mountains of the Andes. 

 This last Almagro took, for no other reason but 

 because it was the shortest.. His army, after 



