Pizarro recalled by the governor of Panama.

But fome of the adventurers, lefs enterprifing, or lefs hardy than their leaders, having fecretly conveyed lamentable accounts of their fufferings and loffes to their friends at Panama, Almagro met with an unfavourable reception from Pedro de los Rios, who had fucceeded Pedrarias in the government of that fettlement. After weighing the matter with that cold oeconomical prudence which appears the first of all virtues to perfons whofe limited faculties are incapable of conceiving or executing great defigns, he concluded an expedition, attended with fuch certain wafte of men, to be fo detrimental to an infant and feeble colony, that he not only prohibited the raising of new levies, but difpatched a veffel to bring home Pizarro and his companions from the ifland of Gallo. Almagro and Luque, though deeply affected with those measures, which they could not prevent, and durft not oppofe, found means. of communicating their fentiments privately to Pizarro, and exhorted him not to relinquifh an enterprise that was the foundation of all their hopes, and the only means of reeftablishing their reputation and fortune, which were both on the decline.

Perfifts in bis defign.

Pizarro's mind, bent with inflexible obftinacy on all its purpofes, needed no incentive

to perfift in the fcheme. He peremptorily refufed to obey the governor of Panama's orders, and employed all his addrefs and eloquence in perfuading his men not to abandon him. But the incredible calamities to which they had been expofed were ftill fo recent in their memories, and the thoughts of revifiting their families and friends after a long abfence, rufhed with fuch joy into their minds, that when Pizarro drew a line upon the fand with his fword, permitting fuch as wifhed to return home to pafs over it, only thirteen of all the daring veterans in his fervice had refolution to remain with their commander. i)

This fmall, but determined band, whofe names the Spanish hiftorians record with deferved praife, as the perfons to whofe perfevering fortitude their country is indebted for the most valuable of all its American poffeffions, fixed their refidence in the ifland of Gorgona. This, as it was farther removed from the coaft than Gallo, and uninhabited, they confidered as a more fecure retreat, where, unmolefted, they might wait for fupplies from Panama, which they trufted that the activity of their affociates would be able to procure. Almagro and Luque were not inattentive or cold folicitors, and their inceffant importunity was feconded by the general voice of the colony,

i) Herrera, dec. 3. lib. x. c. 2, 3. Zarate, lib. i. c. 2. Xerez, 181. Gomara Hift. c. 109.

which exclaimed loudly against the infamy of expofing brave men, engaged in the publick fervice and chargeable with no error but what flowed from an excefs of zeal and courage, to perifh like the most odious criminals in a defert ifland. Overcome by thofe entreaties and expoftulations, the governor at laft confented to fend a small veffel to their relief, But that he might not feem to encourage Pizarro to any new enterprise, he would not permit one landman to embark on board of it.

Hardfhips he endured.

By this time Pizarro aud his companions had remained five months in an ifland, infamous for the most unhealthy climate in that region of America. k) During all this period, their eyes were turned towards Panama, in hopes of fuccour from their countrymen; but worn out at length with fruitless expectations, and difpirited with suffering hardships of which they faw no end, they, in despair, came to a refolution of committing themselves to the ocean on a float, rather than continue in that deteftable abode. But on the arrival of the veffel from Panama, they were tranfported with fuch joy, that all their fufferings were forgotten. Their hopes revived, and, with a rapid tranfition, not unnatural among men accuftomed by their mode of life to fudden viciffitudes of fortune, high k) See NOTE III,

confidence fucceeding to extreme dejection, Pizarro easily induced not only his own followers, but the crew of the veffel from Panama, to refume his former fcheme with fresh ardour, Inftead of returning to Panama, they stood towards the fouth-eaft, and more, fortunate in this than in any of their paft efforts, they, on the twentieth day after ther departure from Gorgona, difcovered the coaft of Peru.

Discovers Peru. 1526.

After touching at feveral villages on the coaft no wife inviting, they landed at Tumbez, a place of fome note, about three degrees fouth of the line, diftinguifhed for its ftately temple, and a palace of the Incas or fovereigns of the country, 1) There the Spaniards feafted their eyes with the first view of the opulence and civilization of the Peruvian empire. They beheld a country fully peopled and cultivated with an appearance of regular industry; the natives decently clothed, and poffeffed of inge nuity fo far furpaffing the other inhabitants of the New World, as to have the ufe of tame domeftick animals. But wat chiefly attracted their notice, was fuch a fhow of gold and filver, not only in the ornaments of their perfons and temples, but in feveral veffels and utenfils for common ufe, formed of the fame precious metals, as left no room to doubt that these

1) Calancha, p. 103,

abounded with profufion in the country. Pizarro and his companions feemed now to have attained to the completion of their most fanguine hopes, and fancied that all their wifhes and dreams of rich domains, and inexhauftible treafures, would foon be realized.

Returns ro Panama. 1527.

But with the flender force then under his command, Pizarro could only view the rich country of which he hoped hereafter to obtain poffeffion. He ranged, however, for fome time along the coaft, maintaining every where a peaceable intercourfe with the natives, no lefs aftonifhed at their new vifitants, than the Spaniards were with the uniform appearance of opulence and cultivation which they beheld. Having explored the country as far as was requifite to afcertain the importance of the difcovery, Pizarro procured from the inhabitants fome of their Llamas or tame cattle, to which the Spaniards gave the name of sheep, fome veffels of gold and filver, as well as fome fpecimens of their other works of ingenuity, and two young men, whom he propofed to inftruct in the Caftilian language, that they might ferve as interpreters in the expedition which he meditated. With thefe he arrived at Panama, towards the close of the third year from the time of his departure thence. m) No adventurer of

m) Herrera, dec. 3. lib. x. c. 3 -6. dec. 4. lib. ii, c. 7, 8. Vega, 2. lib. i. c. 10-14. Zarate, lih, i. e. 2. Benzo Hift. Novi Orbis, lib. iii. 6. I.