trocious that stains
the Spanish name, amidst all the deeds of violence committed in carrying
on the conquest of the New World. In order to give some colour of
justice to this outrage, Pizarro resolved to try the Inca, according to
the forms of the criminal courts of Spain, and having constituted
himself chief judge, charges the most absurd, and even ridiculous, were
brought against him; but, as his infamous judges had predetermined, he
was found guilty, and condemned to be burnt alive.

Atahualpa, astonished at his fate, endeavoured to avert it by tears, by
promises, and by entreaties; but pity never touched the unfeeling heart
of Pizarro. He ordered him to be led instantly to execution, and the
cruel priest, after having prostituted his sacred office to confirm the
wicked sentence, offered to console, and attempted to convert him.

The dread of a cruel death, extorted from the trembling victim his
consent to be baptized. The ceremony was performed; and Atahualpa,
instead of being burnt alive, was strangled at the stake.

Pizarro then proceeded in his career of cruelty and rapacity, till, in
ten years, he subdued the whole of this great empire, and divided it
among his followers.

In making the division, he allotted the richest and finest provinces to
himself and his favourites, giving the less valuable to Almagro and his
friends.

This partiality highly offended Almagro, who thought his claims equal to
Pizarro's, and this led to open hostilities; when Almagro being taken
prisoner, he was beheaded in prison by order of Pizarro.

Soon after this, Pizarro himself was assassinated in his palace by a
party of Almagro's friends, headed by the son of Almagro, in revenge for
the death of his father.

Some time before this, the cruel and bigoted priest, Val de Viridi, had
been beaten to death with the butt end of muskets, in the island of
Puma, at the instigation of Almagro.

Thus retributive justice, in the end, overtook these unjust and cruel
men.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XII.

PARLEY DESCRIBES THE NATURAL BEAUTIES OF AMERICA.

Let us now leave for a while the cruel Spaniards, and talk about the
beauties of nature, in these new discovered countries.

In these extensive regions, every thing appeared new and wonderful; not
only the inhabitants, but the whole face of nature was totally different
from anything that had been seen in Europe.

Grand ridges of mountains, numerous volcanoes, some of them, th