Pioneer Spaniards in North America . its streets werewith the gorgeous retinues of adventurers whohad returned from the New World laden withthe spoils of plundered cities. Among these gay 258 HERNANDO DE SOTO cavaliers none could vie with Hernando de had started out, well-born, but with no pos-session but his sword, in the retinue of Pedrarias,that governor of Darien who unjustly executedBalboa. His daring commended him to theGovernor, and he was allowed to take part inPizarros expedition toPeru. He was givan important com-mand, becamefamed for his skilland valor, and hadpart in the se
Pioneer Spaniards in North America . its streets werewith the gorgeous retinues of adventurers whohad returned from the New World laden withthe spoils of plundered cities. Among these gay 258 HERNANDO DE SOTO cavaliers none could vie with Hernando de had started out, well-born, but with no pos-session but his sword, in the retinue of Pedrarias,that governor of Darien who unjustly executedBalboa. His daring commended him to theGovernor, and he was allowed to take part inPizarros expedition toPeru. He was givan important com-mand, becamefamed for his skilland valor, and hadpart in the seiz-ing of the Inca,Atahualpa, and thttaking of Cuzco, 1Peruvian capital ancrichest city of the New hernando de sotoWorld. His share of the booty is stated at a sum equal to more thana million of our money, — and in those daysmillionaires were as scarce as white returned to Spain, married a daughter ofPedrarias — the one or the siste-r of the one whowas affianced to Balboa — and set up a princelyestablishment. 259. PIONEER SPANIARDS All Spain then rang with the achievementsof two men, Cortes and Pizarro. Soto wouldfain rival them by conquering the vast regionwhich was supposed to contain the Gilded Manskingdom. He asked for and obtained permissionto undertake the enterprise at his own King appointed him Governor of Florida,with power to subdue and rule it. It became atonce known throughout Spain that the illustriouscavalier, Hernando de Soto, was about to under-take the conquest of Florida. The enterprise wasImmensely attractive. No doubt was entertainedthat the plunder would be richer than that ofeither Mexico or Peru. Recruits flocked to thestandard, high-born and low-born, some of themseasoned veterans who had served with Soto inPeru. Men of noble birth sold their estates,and tradesmen their shops, in order to equip,themselves suitably, all expecting to reap a re-ward enormously greater than their outlay. In due time the old port of Seville saw
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