260 



THREE YEARS IN THE PACIFIC. 



perish tyrants. Those who had descended the stairs returned 

 to the sala, and in one way or another, sneaked off; Doctor 

 Juan Velasquez and the Inspector jumped through a window 

 into the garden. 



The marques and his maternal brother, Francisco Martinez 

 de Alcantara, with two pages, hastened to a wardrobe to arm 

 themselves. Pizarro divested himself of a long robe of scarlet 

 cloth, and hastily armed himself with a coracina — an ancient 

 kind of cuirass — and a sword or spear, it is doubtful which, 

 for Herrera says the one, and Garcilaso the other. In the 

 mean time, Francisco de Chaves and four others remained in 

 the sala. 



The conspirators mounted the stairs, headed by Juan de 

 Rada, who exclaimed, Happy day! Almagro has friends to 

 avenge his death." The door was closed. Chaves opened it; 

 though he had been ordered to keep it shut, to gain time for 

 the arrival of succor. A blow nearly severed his head from 

 his body, which rolled down the steps. His two servants were 

 killed. " Those of Chile" rushed into the sala, crying, "where 

 is the tyrant, where is the tyrant?" Martin de Bilbao sought 

 Pizarro's chamber. Juan Ortiz de Zarate struck him one or 

 two blows with a halbert, and received a severe wound in re- 

 turn. Francisco de Alcantara defended the door of the ante- 

 chamber with his sword and buckler, but seeing the second 

 door lost, he retreated to the marques's chamber. Now 



those of Chile" cried, *^Let the tyrant die; we lose time." 

 The conqueror of Peru, though past sixty years of age, de- 

 fended the door most valiantly, with his two pages fighting by 

 his side. For some time the conspirators were kept at bay. 

 Finding that they could not force a passage, they pushed one 

 Narvaez with great force upon the marques, and while he and 

 the two pages dealt their blows upon this victim, the other 

 conspirators rushed into the chamber and engaged Pizarro en 

 masse. He wounded several of them, but at last, receiving a 

 thrust in the throat, fell, covered with wounds, calling upon 

 Jesus Christ ; and making a cross upon the ground with his fin- 

 ger, kissed it and expired ! Juan Rodrigues de Borregan dashed 

 upon his head an alcardz of water with so much force as to 



