2/33 AMERICA, 



emperor ipto his hands, made a complete conquest of Mexico ; with 

 which the golden Castile, Darien, and other provinces, fell into the 

 hands of the Spaniards. 



While Cortez and his soldiers were employed in reducing Mexico, 

 they obtained intelligence of another great empire situated towards 

 the equinoctial line, and the tropic of Capricorn, which was said to 

 abound in gold and silver, and precious stones, and to be governed 

 by a prince more magnificent than Montezuma. This was the em- 

 pire of Peru, which extended in length near 30 degrees, and was the 

 only other country in America that deserved the name of a civilized 

 kingdom. Whether it happened, that the Spanish government had 

 not received certain intelligence concerning Peru, or that, being en- 

 gaged in a multiplicity of other concerns, it did not choose to adven- 

 ture on new enterprises, certain it is, that this extensive councry $ 

 more important than Mexico itself, was reduced by the endeavours 

 and at the expence of three private persons. The names of these 

 were, Francis Pizarro, Almagro, and Lucques, a priest, but a man of 

 considerable fortune. The two former were natives of Panama, men 

 of doubtful birth, and of low education. Pizarro, the soul of the en- 

 terprise, could neither read nor write. They sailed over into Spain, 

 and, without difficulty, obtained a grant of what they should conquer. 

 Pizarro then set out for the conquest of Peru, with 250 foot, 60 horse, 

 and 12 small pieces of cannon, drawn by slaves from the conquered 

 countries. If we reflect that the Peruvians naturally entertained the 

 same prejudices with the Mexicans, in favour of the Spanish nation, 

 and were, besides, of a character still more soft and unwarlike, it 

 need not surprise us, after what has been said of the conquest of Mex- 

 ico, that, with this inconsiderable force, Pizarro should make a deep 

 impression on the Peruvian empire. There were particular circum- 

 stances likewise which conspired to assist him, and which, as they dis- 

 cover somewhat of the history and religion of these countries, and of 

 the state of the human mind in this immense continent, it may not 

 be improper to relate. 



Mango Capac was the founder of the Peruvian empire. He was 

 one of those uncommon men, who, calm and dispassionate themselves, 

 can observe the passions of their fellow-creatures, and turn them to 

 their own profit or glory. He observed that the people of Peru were 

 naturally superstitious, and had a particular veneration for the sun. 

 He pretended, therefore, to be descended from that luminary, whose 

 worship he was sent to. establish, and whose authority he was entitled 

 to bear. By this story, romantic as it appears, he easily deceived a 

 credulous people, and brought a large extent of territory under his 

 jurisdiction, a larger still he subdued by his arms ; but both the force 

 and the deceit he employed for the most laudable purposes. He uni- 

 ted and civilized a dispersed and barbarous people : he subjected them 

 to laws and trained them to arms ; he softened them by the institution of 

 a benevolent religion : in short, there was no part of America where ag- 

 riculture and the arts were so assiduously cultivated, and where the peo- 

 ple were of such mild and ingenuous manners. A race of princes suc- 

 ceeded Mango, distinguished by the title of Yncas, and revered by the 

 people as descendants of their great god, the Sun. The twelfth of these 

 was now on the throne, and named Atabalipa. His father, Guiana 

 Capac, had conquered the province of Quito, which now makes a part 

 of Spanish Peru. To secure himself in the possession, he had mar- 

 ried the daughter of the natural prince of that country, and from this 



