eir case was desperate. In the first volley of the
enemy, Pizarro received _seven wounds_,--a fact which in itself is
enough to show you what slight advantage their armor gave the Spaniards
over the Indians, while it was a fearful burden in the tropic heats and
amid such agile foes. The Spaniards had to give way; and as they
retreated, Pizarro slipped and fell. The Indians, readily recognizing
that he was the chief, had directed their special efforts to slay him;
and now several sprang upon the fallen and bleeding warrior. But Pizarro
struggled up and struck down two of them with supreme strength, and
fought off the rest till his men could run to his aid. Then Montenegro
came up and fell upon the savages from behind, and soon the Spaniards
were masters of the field. But it had been dearly bought, and their
leader saw plainly that he could not succeed in that savage land with
such a weak force. His next step must be to get reinforcements.

He accordingly sailed back to Chicama, and remaining there with most of
his men,--again careful not to give them a chance to desert,--sent
Nicolas de Ribera, with the gold so far collected and a full account of
their doings, to Governor Davila at Panama.

Meanwhile Almagro, after long delays, had sailed with sixty men in the
second vessel from Panama to follow Pizarro. He found the "track" by
trees Pizarro had marked at various points, according to their
agreement. At Punta Quemada he landed, and the Indians gave him a
hostile reception. Almagro's blood was hot, and he charged upon them
bravely. In the action, an Indian javelin wounded him so severely in the
head that after a few days of intense suffering he lost one of his eyes.
But despite this great misfortune he kept on his voyage. It was the one
admirable side of the man,--his great brute courage. He could face
danger and pain bravely; but in a very few days he proved that the
higher courage was lacking. At the river San Juan (St. John) the
loneliness and uncertainty were too much for Almagro, and he turned back
toward Panama. Fortunately, he learned that his captain was at Chicama,
and there joined him. Pizarro had no thought of abandoning the
enterprise, and he so impressed Almagro--who only needed to be _led_ to
be ready for any daring--that the two solemnly vowed to each other to
see the voyage to the end or die like men in trying. Pizarro sent him on
to Panama to work for help, and himself stayed to cheer his men in
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