"I remember, in my school history," said Fred, "it was said that Atahualpa was imprisoned by Pizarro, and offered to fill with gold the room where he was confined, on condition of receiving his liberty. He filled the room as agreed, but was afterwards put to death by order of Pizarro." [Illustration: A STREET IN QUITO.] "The story does not rest on very good authority," said the Doctor; "but the conduct reported of Pizarro is quite in keeping with the character of the Spanish conquerors of the New World. Pizarro's biographer says he was guilty of the greatest cruelties and perfidies in the acquisition of gold, but he distributed it freely among his followers, and spent most of the vast treasures obtained from the Incas in the erection of public buildings and other improvements for the general benefit. That he was a brave man is shown by the fact that the conquest of Peru was undertaken, and successfully accomplished, with a force of three vessels, one hundred and eighty men, and twenty-seven horses." "And all this country was captured with such a mere 'handful of men!'" exclaimed Frank. "Yes," replied Dr. Bronson, "that was the force with which Pizarro left Panama, though it was afterwards increased by the arrival of recruits. Pizarro received a royal commission from the King of Spain, with a title of nobility. His descendants may now be found at Truxillo, in Spain, and they point with pride to their great ancestor, whose education was so neglected that he was unable to read or write. [Illustration: PALACIO DE GOBIERNO (GOVERNMENT HOUSE), QUITO.] "Quito was a more magnificent city under the Incas of Peru than it has ever been since the Spanish conquest. The extent of its population is not known, but it was certainly larger than to-day. The palace of Atahualpa was one of the finest in South America, and its roof is said to have been covered with gold. All the gold of the city was seized by the Spaniards, and the palace was destroyed. A convent now occupies its site, and we will look at its gloomy walls to-morrow. The magnificent Temple of the Sun is reduced to a few stones which mark the spot where it stood." With a running conversation concerning the history of Ecuador the evening went on until it was time to go to bed. All retired early, and were up betimes to inspect the wonderful city they had toiled so hard to see. "We are not in the highest city of the globe," said Fred in his note-book, "but we are two thousand feet farther above the sea than is the Hospice of St. Bernard, the most elevated spot in Europe which is inhabited all the year round. According to our barometers, and those of other travellers, we are 9520 feet above the beach of the Pacific Ocean at its nearest point, or only 1040 feet less than two miles.