Celebrated Travels and Travellers, Part 1.: The Exploration of the WorldVerne, Jules
History
Celebrated Travels and Travellers, Part 1.: The Exploration of the World
Verne, Jules
Discoveries in geography; Explorers; Voyages and travels
After the new partnership had been signed between the conquerors
(1534), Pizarro had returned to the provinces bordering on the sea,
in which he could establish a regular government, there being no
longer anything to dread from resistance. For a man who had never
studied legislation, he had drawn up some very wise rules for the
administration of justice, for the collection of taxes, the
apportionment of the Indians, and the working of the mines. Some
parts of the "conquistador's" character were doubtless very open to
criticism, but it is only just to recognize that he was not wanting
in enlarged ideas, and that he was conscientious in playing his part
as the founder of a great empire. This it was which made him
hesitate long before choosing the future capital of the Spanish
possessions. Cuzco had the recommendation of having been the
residence of the incas; but this town, situated more than 400 miles
from the sea, was very distant from Quito, of which the importance
seemed to Pizarro to be extreme. Before long he was struck with the
beauty and fertility of a great valley, watered by a stream called
the Rimac, and there in 1536, he established the seat of his
dominion. Soon, the City of Kings (de Los Reyes), or Lima, as it is
called by a corruption of the name of the river which flows at its
feet, assumed the aspect of a great city, owing to the magnificent
palace and the sumptuous residences for officers, which Pizarro
caused to be built there. While these cares kept Pizarro far from
his capital, small bodies of troops, sent in different directions,
penetrated into the most distant provinces of the empire, with the
object of extinguishing the last smouldering embers of resistance;
so many of the soldiers were employed in this way, that there
remained in Cuzco itself but a very small body of troops. The inca,
who had remained in the hands of the Spaniards, thought this an
opportune moment for fomenting a general rising, in which he
earnestly hoped that the foreign government might be overthrown.
Although closely guarded, he contrived to take his measures with so
much skill that he did not arouse the suspicions of his oppressors.
He obtained permission even to be present at a grand fete, which was
to be held at several miles' distance from Cuzco, and for which the
most distinguished persons in the empire had met together. As soon
as the inca appeared, the standard of revolt was raised. The country
was soon in arms from the confines of the province of Quito as far
as Chili, and a number of small detachments of Spaniards were
surprised and destroyed. Cuzco, defended by the three brothers
Pizarro with but 170 Spaniards, was exposed for eight consecutive
months to the incessant attacks of the Peruvians, who had now become
expert in the use of the arms which they had taken from their
enemies. The conquerors made a most valiant resistance, but
experienced some severe losses, especially that of Juan Pizarro.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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