30 



with the object of the expedition, thought that 

 nothing would contribute more to raise the 

 spirits of his dejected friends, than by letting 

 them know the importance of their conquest. 

 With this intent, he obliged the peasants to de- 

 liver up to him all the gold in their possession, 

 and having by this means collected 500,000 

 ducats, he presented them to Alraagro. The 

 Spaniard was so highly pleased, that he distri- 

 buted the whole among his soldiers, to whom he 

 also remitted the debts they owed him for the 

 immense sums of money that he had advanced 

 for the preparation of the enterprize. Being 

 persuaded that in a short time he should have all 

 the gold of the country at his disposal, he sought 

 by this display of liberality to maintain the 

 reputation of being generous, which be had ac- 

 quired in Peru by his profuse lavishment of the 

 treasures of its sovereigns. 



While Almagro remained in Copiapo, he dis- 

 covered that the reigning Ulmen had usurped 

 the government in prejudice of his nephew and 

 ward, who, through fear of his uncle, had fled 

 to the woods. Pretending to be irritated at this 

 act of injustice, he caused the guilty chief to be 

 arrested, and calling before him the lawful heir, 

 reinstated him in the government with the uni- 

 versal applause of his subjects, who attributed 

 this conduct entirely to motives of justice, aud a 

 wish to redress the injured. 



