st energetic men. Every craft that could sail the
seas was called into use, and the building of new vessels was hastened
to completion in order to provide for the needs of adventurous
prospectors and would-be explorers.

The conquest of the Aztec Empire, with its millions of treasure, by
Cortez had already proved the valiancy of Spanish cavaliers. To add to
this, the conquest of the Incas by Pizarro and his followers was
regarded a miracle of divine interposition.

As a result, Spanish galleons laden with treasure from the conquered
countries ploughed the seas, and untold wealth poured into private and
royal coffers. Spanish ambition and greed for gold knew no bounds.
Cunning and cruelty were employed by the Spaniards to secure their ends.
No trials, no hardships were too great for them to endure. No perils
daunted them. Western South America, ruled by viceroys for nearly three
centuries, brought to Spain its greatest wealth. One-fifth of all the
wealth and treasure acquired was reserved for the crown.

When Pizarro first visited the interior of Peru he found an empire well
advanced in the arts of civilization. Its temples within and without
were richly decorated with gold. There were thousands of miles of
excellent roads, of which two were used for military purposes. One of
these extended along the lowlands; the other traversed the grand
plateau. These roads crossed ravines bridged with solid masonry and were
pierced by tunnels cut through solid rock. The construction of these
great roads was a more wonderful achievement than the building of the
Egyptian pyramids.

The government was systematically organized and to a certain extent it
was both paternal and communal. Agriculture was skilfully carried on by
means of fertilization and irrigation.

The sun was the chief deity and object of worship of its people. Their
most beautifully adorned and renowned sanctuary was the Temple of the
Sun at Cuzco. Besides this sacred edifice there were several hundred
inferior temples and places of worship scattered through the empire, all
plentifully ornamented with gold and silver. Every Inca ruler was
regarded as a descendant of the sun and therefore a sacred person.

According to the popular belief, gold consisted of tears wept by the sun
and was therefore a sacred metal suitable for beautifying the palaces of
the Incas and temples of worship. Not only were the edifices themselves
richly adorned with this precious metal, but t