him on burning coals; but he bore
whatever the cruelty of his tormentors could inflict, with the
invincible fortitude of an American warrior. One of his chief
favourites, his fellow sufferer, being overcome by the violence of the
anguish, turned a dejected eye towards his master, which seemed to
implore his permission to reveal all he knew. But the high spirited
prince darted on him a look of authority mingled with scorn, and checked
his weakness by asking, "Am I reposing on a bed of flowers?"

Overawed by the reproach, he persevered in dutiful silence and expired.

Cortes, utterly regardless of what crimes and cruelties he committed,
added largely to the Spanish territory and revenue. But Spain was always
ungrateful. Pizarro was murdered; Columbus died of a broken heart, and
Balboa the death of a felon; so what could Cortez expect? He fell into
neglect and poverty when his work was done. One day he forced his way
through the crowd that had collected about the carriage of the
sovereign, mounted the door-step, and looked in. Astonished at so gross
a breach of etiquette, the monarch demanded to know who he was? "I am a
man," replied Cortez, "who has given you more provinces than your
ancestors left you cities!"

CHAPTER XI.

PARLEY RELATES HOW PIZARRO DISCOVERED AND CONQUERED PERU.

Peru, when first discovered by the Spaniards, was a large and
flourishing empire, including two kingdoms, Peru, and Quito, and
extended over nearly half of the widest part of the South American
Continent, as you will see if you look into the map, Brazil occupying
the other half of the wide part.

It had been governed by a long succession of Emperors, who were called
the Incas of Peru.

On the 14th of Nov. 1524, three Spanish adventurers whose names were
Francisco Pizarro, in early life a feeder of swine, Diego de Almagro,
and Hernando Luque, set sail from Panama for the discovery of Peru.

Panama was a new settlement which the Spaniards had formed on the
western side of the Isthmus of Darien, on the shores of the Pacific
Ocean.

Pizarro had only a single ship and one hundred and twenty men, to
undertake this discovery, and so little was he acquainted with the
climate of America, that the most improper season of the whole year was
chosen for his departure; the periodical winds which were then set in,
being directly opposite to the course he proposed to steer.

He spent two years in sailing from Panama to the northern extrem