The indians began to arrive from different parts, bringing with them the gold which they had been assured would ransom their captive monarch; but that which by them was destined to save his life was changed by his cruel masters into the cause of his death. From the number of indians who arrived daily, the Spaniards began to fear a revolution in favour of their prisoner: they had already received an enormous quantity of gold; Huascar was dead, and Pizarro presumed, that by securing to himself the possession of the country, he should consequently become master of the treasures which it contained. He therefore determined to bring Atahualpa to trial; for which purpose, he constituted himself president of the court, and nominated the other members. The following is a copy of the charges exhibited against the unfortunate Atahualpa, on the baseness of which all comment is unnecessary—the mere reading must draw from every sympathizing heart detestation of the inhuman proposer and promoter.
That Huaina Capac having had several wives, and Huascar Inca, being the first-born of his Empress Rava Ocllo, was the legitimate heir to the empire, and Atahualpa not the son of Huaina Capac, but the bastard of some indian of Quito. That Atahualpa did not inherit the empire according to the will of his father, but was an usurper and a tyrant; and that Huascar was the lawful Inca, according to the will of his father and the right of inheritance. That Huascar had been murdered by order of Atahualpa, after the arrival of the Spaniards. That Atahualpa was an idolater, and obliged his vassals to sacrifice human beings to his idols. That Atahualpa had waged unjust wars, and thereby murdered many indians. That Atahualpa had kept many concubines. That Atahualpa had recovered, spent, and lavished in excesses the tributes of the empire, after the Spaniards had taken possession of it, giving to his relations and friends treasure belonging to the public funds. That Atahualpa had, during his imprisonment, advised his captains and indians to rebel against the Spaniards, and put them to death, for which purpose he had mustered a considerable force of armed indians.
After this shameful libel had been read to the court by Sancho de Cuellar, Pizarro stated, that all those who should now attempt to defend the life of Atahualpa were traitors to the crown of Castile and to the Emperor, their master, and might be justly accused of opposing the increase of his kingdom and revenue. That the death of the tyrant Atahualpa would secure to Castile an empire, and to all present their lives and fortunes. That if any one opposed his death, it should be reported to his Majesty, that he might reward his faithful servants, and punish those who endeavoured to deprive him of his right. After this diabolical harangue, it is almost unnecessary to say, that the unfortunate Atahualpa was sentenced to death.
Atahualpa was immediately informed of his fate, and told, that if he were baptized, he would be put to an honourable death, such as was inflicted on noblemen in all civilized countries; but if he refused to receive this sacrament, he would be burnt to death: hearing this, he desired Friar Vicente Valverde to baptize him: the friar complied with the request, and called him Juan Atahualpa. He was then led out to the place of execution, in front of his own palace, where he was tied to a pole, and strangled; and his body received Christian burial on the spot where he was murdered, notwithstanding his last request—that he might be carried to Quito, and buried in the tomb of his forefathers.
Pizarro attended the execution of his prisoner, afterwards wore mourning for him, and ordered his exequies to be performed with all possible pomp. It may perhaps be satisfactory to some of my readers to mention here, that Pizarro was afterwards murdered by his own countrymen at Lima; and Father Valverde, by the Indians of Quispicancha. According to Zarate, the treasure which had been brought for the ransom of Atahualpa, and which fell into the hands of Pizarro, amounted to four hundred and ninety-eight thousand ounces of fine silver, and one million five hundred and ninety-one ounces of gold.
The places in Caxamarca worthy the notice of a visitor, as having been connected with the fate of Atahualpa, are a large room, part of the old palace, and now the residence of the Cacique Astopilco, where this ill-fated monarch was kept a prisoner for the space of three months, or from the first day of his meeting Pizarro to the day on which he was murdered by order of that general; in this room also is the mark which he made on the wall, promising to fill it to that height with silver and gold as a ransom. In the chapel belonging to the common gaol, which was formerly part of the palace, the altar stands on the stone on which Atahualpa was placed by the Spaniards and strangled, and under which he was buried. Near the fountain in the plasa are still visible the foundation stones of the small battery erected by Pizarro, in the front of which Valverde delivered his famous harangue to the Inca, and whence he commanded the Spanish soldiers to massacre the indians. About a league from the city are the baths where Atahualpa was living when Pizarro arrived; the one on the right hand is called the bath of the Inca. Near to the baths there is also a farm house belonging (1812) to Doña Mercedes Arce, where there are many ruins of what appears to have been a granary or store belonging to the Inca; here are many excavations, in some of which there are marks on the stones of one thousand, two thousand, &c.—this has induced some people to search for treasure, but none has ever yet been found. At the distance of two leagues from Caxamarca is a stone called inga rirpo, resting stone of the Inca; it is similar to the one described by M. Humboldt, which he saw at the Paramo de Asuay, which is called inga chungana, Inca's resting place. The inga rirpo, near to Caxamarca, is a large block of freestone, eleven feet long, two feet eight inches high above the ground, and thirteen inches thick; it has two grooves cut across it near to the centre, four inches deep, and five inches wide; here are also the remains of a circular enclosure surrounding it eight yards in diameter; it stands on the Camino del Inca, the military road on which the Incas travelled from Cusco to Quito. The site of this resting stone commands a most beautiful prospect of the valley of Caxamarca. The tradition of the indians is, that the Inca used to be brought here to enjoy the prospect, and that the two grooves in the stone were made, that the cross ledges of his throne on which he was carried might rest secure in them.
CHAPTER VI.
Province of Caxamarca....Manufactures, Mines....Village de Jesus....Hawking....Farm of Lagunilla....Inga Tambo....Village of San Marcos....Feast....Wedding....Village of Ichocan....Mine of Gualgayoc....Return to the Coast....Village of Chocope....Of San Pedro....Of Las Lagemas....Of Monsefu....Town of Lambayeque....Inhabitants, Buildings, New Altar....Manufactures, Soap, Cordovans, Cotton Goods, Sweetmeats....Fruits, Grain, Pulse....Vegetables....Market....Algarroba, Carob Tree....Village of Eten....Of Morrope....Simarones....Desert of Sechura....Town of Sechura....City of Piura....Inhabitants, Buildings....Mules....Manufactures....Climate....Effect on Syphilis....Commerce....Port of Paita....Excellent Situation for an Astronomical Observatory.