The Land of the Incas and the City of the Sun; or the story of Francisco Pizarro and the conquest of Peru

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THE LAND OF THE INCAS AND THE CITY OF THE SUN. A Page 72. DE SOTO IN THE INCA's CAM1 Frontispiece. THE LAND OF THE INCAS AND THE CITY OF THE SUN; OR, %bt Stonj of Jfraarista Ibarra anb tin Conquest of |)eru. BY W. H. DAVENPORT ADAMS. " When fierce Pizarro's legions flew O'er ravaged fields of rich Peru." Joseph Warton. LONDON: THE BOOK SOCIETY, 28, PATERNOSTER ROW. Preface. IN the following pages I seek to tell the stirring story of the Conquest of Peru. That story does not assume the heroic proportions of the record of the Mexican Conquest ; and Pizarro, the conqueror, is, I admit, an inferior figure to Hernando Cortes, — inferior as a commander, a statesman, and an administrator, — inferior in intellectual force and moral power. Yet the story has many romantic and picturesque points, just as Pizarro presents many characteristics which are worthy of analysis and consideration.

Moreover, while most historians have done full justice to the great Spaniard who overthrew the brilliant empire of Mexico, and have willingly recognized his noble qualities, the conqueror of Peru has been unfortunate enough to meet with artists who have painted his portrait in the blackest colours. It becomes, therefore, an interesting study to trace his career with fairness, to judge his actions with impartiality, and then to determine whether we can endorse the traditional verdict. I, for one, confess myself unable to do so. I

Preface

. can find no proof of the ferocity and treachery of which he has so freely been accused. It seems to me that his moral calibre was exactly that of his age ; that he neither rose above nor sank below the average standard of his time and country ; that though, like Cortes, he committed some acts of cruelty, he was by no means a man of a cruel disposition; that though, like most public men of his day, he was not too scrupulous in the fulfilment of engagements, yet, on the whole, he was straightforward and honest in his policy. I think he was capable of much generosity towards an enemy, and of sincere attach ment to a friend ; and it seems to me that in the quarrel between Almagro and himself, he contrasts very favour ably with that impulsive and impetuous soldier. Dr. Robertson ascribes to him " the address, the craft, and the dissimulation of a politician," but he does not show in what actions, or at what periods of his life, Pizarro exhibited these qualities.

Mr. Prescott speaks of " his perfidious treatment of Almagro." The reader who does me the honour to peruse the following narrative will judge for himself whether the American historian's censure has any foundation. The principal English writers whom one naturally con sults for the life of Pizarro and the conquest of Peru are Dr. Robertson, Mr. Prescott, and Sir Arthur Helps. I have availed myself of their lucid ordering of facts, and their shrewd and sagacious reflections ; but I have felt it necessary to go back to the original authorities in order to form an honest and intelligent estimate for my own satisfaction. The following pages, therefore, assume

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. 9 to be something more than a compilation from purely English sources, and will be found, I hope, to present, in some respects, a new and independent narrative. The Spanish authorities of most value may be thus enume rated : Francisco de Xeres, the secretary of Pizarro, "Verdadera Relacion de la Conquista." There is a French translation in the collection of M. Ternaux- Campans (vol. iv., edit. 1837 — 1841); but no English version of this very graphic and interesting chronicle is, I believe, in existence. Garcilaso de la Vega (the son of a Spanish cavalier and an Indian mother, the niece of the Inca Huayna Capac), " Commentarios Reales " (1609 — 1616). Of this there is a translation by Rycaut. It is included also in Puichas's " Pilgrims " (vol. iv.) ; and the Hakluyt Society have published an elaborate edition, under the care of Mr. Clement R. Markham.

Aug. de Zarato, " Historia del Descubrimiento y Con quista de la Provincia del Peru;" this has been trans lated into French (Paris, Fr. Lopez de Gomara, "Historia General de las Indias" (ed. Barcia, Auton. de Herrera, " Historia General de los Hichos de los Castellanos en las Islas y Tierra Firma de Mar Oceano" (r6oi). There is, I believe, an English translation by Stephens. Quintana, "Vidas de Espanoles Celebres." These are the writers whose materials neces sarily supply the foundation of all later historians ; but both Mr. Prescott and Sir Arthur Helps have enriched their respective works by reference to various manu scripts ; as, for instance, Sir Arthur Helps relies greatly (perhaps too much so) on the " Carta de Vicento de

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. 10 Valverdo al Emperador Carlos Quinto," written at Cuzco in 1539 — 154T; and Mr. Prescott on Pedro Pizarro's " Descubrimiento y Conquista." They are valuable as " side-lights," but they scarcely affect our general con ception of the course of events, or materially modify our judgments upon the men concerned in them. In conclusion, I may be allowed to express my hope that the concise and comprehensive summary herein attempted will be found of some utility. It has at least the merit of being no servile imitation or repetition of its predecessors. CoiSLTEjrSlJS.

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