Heroes of discovery in America . ith thunder andlightning. Wherever they went the people looked onthem with wonder and terror. The roar of the can-non filled them with utter dismay. Mysterious beingsthey were, with the power of the gods in their leader must be the son of Viracocha, the greatgod of Peru, the deity who wielded the thunder of theclouds. When Atahualpa heard of these wonderful strangershe thought it wise to win their good will, and sentto them his brother, with presents and words of wel-come. When Titu, the envoy, reached them they werealready at the foot of the great
Heroes of discovery in America . ith thunder andlightning. Wherever they went the people looked onthem with wonder and terror. The roar of the can-non filled them with utter dismay. Mysterious beingsthey were, with the power of the gods in their leader must be the son of Viracocha, the greatgod of Peru, the deity who wielded the thunder of theclouds. When Atahualpa heard of these wonderful strangershe thought it wise to win their good will, and sentto them his brother, with presents and words of wel-come. When Titu, the envoy, reached them they werealready at the foot of the great mountain-range of theAndes, which they must cross to reach the main seatof the Incas power. Atahualpa was now at Caxa-marca, on the opposite side of the mountains, andthither Pizarro made his way, with toil and danger,across the mighty hills, reaching that place on No-vember 15, 1532. Caxamarca was a small town of about two thou-sand inhabitants. In its centre was a broad, opensquare, and around this stood large stone buildings,. IN AMERICA 81 in which the Spaniards were given quarters by orderof the Inca. Atahualpa and his army lay encampedabout two miles away, the warriors wearing quilteddoublets of cotton, carrying shields of stiff hide, andarmed with bows, slings, lances, and war-clubs, withlassoes, in whose use they were well skilled. The Spaniards had much reason to feel the mountain-range behind them, the army ofPeru before them, they were in as dangerous a trap,if the Inca should prove hostile, as Cortes had beenin the water-locked city of Mexico. They had puttheir heads in the lions jaws, and dare not situation was critical. Only judgment, promptdecision, and the boldest daring could save them if thefriendly spoken Inca should cherish hostile intentions. Fear or distrust must not be shown. On the veryafternoon of their arrival a band of horsemen, led byDe Soto and Fernando Pizarro, a brother of theirleader, visited the Inca at his camp and inv
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectexplorers, bookyear19
