A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 02: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present TimeKerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 02: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
In 1533, Pizarro went from Tumbez to Caxamalca, where he took king
Atabalipa prisoner, who engaged to pay a vast sum in gold and silver for
his ransom. On purpose to procure this, Pedro de Varco and Ferdinando do
Sotto were sent to the city of Cusco, in lat. 17° S.[68], a journey of 200
leagues, all upon causeways of stone, with bridges wherever necessary, and
having lodging-places at proper distances for the conveniency of the
_Yngas_, by which name the kings of Peru are distinguished. The armies of
the Peruvians are very numerous, as they often bring more than 100,000 men
into the field; and they lodge on these causeways, as already mentioned,
where they always have abundance of provisions and other necessaries, as
is said to be the custom in China. Ferdinando Pizarro went with some
horsemen to Paciacama, 100 leagues from Caxamalca, to discover the country;
and, on his return, he learnt that Guascar, the brother of Atabalipa, had
been put to death by his command; and that Ruminaguy, the general of the
army of Atabalipa, had risen in arms, in the city of Quito, against the
Spaniards. After the reception of this intelligence, Atabalipa was
strangled by the orders of Pizarro[69]. After the death of the two kings
of the Peruvians, Pizarro continually extended his authority over the
dominions of Peru, and built many cities, towns, and forts, in convenient
situations, to hold the country under subjection. He detached Sebastian de
Benalcazar, whom he had before made governor of St Michael de Tangarara,
with 200 infantry and 80 horse, to Quito, against Ruminaguy. Benalcazar
proceeded successfully in reducing the country to subjection from one city
to another, eastwards, for 120 leagues, not far from the equinoctial line;
where Peter Alvarado found certain mountains so cold, and loaded with such
quantities of snow, that 70 of his men were frozen to death. Having
reduced the city of Quito, he established himself and his people in that
place, calling it the city of St Francis; and it seemed very strange to
the Spaniards to find, in that country, abundance of cattle, wheat, barley,
and other plants, similar to those of Spain. After sending Benalcazar to
reduce the city of Quito, Pizarro himself undertook to reduce the royal
residence of Cusco, in about 13° 20' S. in which expedition he was opposed
by Quisquiz, a Peruvian general, whom he easily defeated; and he soon
afterwards took possession of Cusco, the exceedingly rich and wealthy
capital of the Peruvian monarchy. About this time Mango, a brother of
Atabalipa, joined Pizarro, who made him Ynga, or king of the country, in
name only, while he assumed the whole authority and revenues of the
kingdom to himself[70].
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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