142 Its Climate and History. 



and snakes. Destructive earthquakes often 

 occur there. 



8. The greater part of South America, that 

 lying near the line or circle called the Equator, 

 has hot weather continually. Every day is like 

 a day in summer with us, except among the 

 mountains, where as you ascend you would 

 find the climate colder and colder until you 

 would reach perpetual snow. 



9. The Equator is a great circle which is drawn around 

 a globe from east to west. On maps it appears like a 

 straight line. Near it are the hottest parts of the Earth. 



The southern countries of South America have summei 

 when we have winter ; spring, when we have autumn, etc. 



10. When Columbus and other white men 

 came to South America they found dark-col- 

 ored people there too. All were not savage, 

 however, for there were many living in the 

 western part who had kings, princes, govern- 

 ments, magnificent temples, and palaces. 



11. The riches of the natives Peruvians were coveted 

 by the Spaniards, who, under the lead of Pizarro, made 

 war against them. Pizarro betrayed the Peruvian Inca or 

 King, and took him prisoner. The Inca offered piles of 

 gold for his liberty. Pizarro agreed, took the gold (value 

 over $15,000,000), but cruelly put the Inca to death. 



12. Similar cruelties were practised only a few years 

 before by Cortes, also a Spaniard, on the natives of 

 Mexico, whose civilization was similar to that of the 

 Peruvians. These events occurred about 360 years ago. 



