rse; but being there, it was the only thing
to do, from their point of view. The night was an anxious one and the
morning found them engaged in preparations. De Candia was posted with
two small falconets and three arquebusiers on the roof of the fortress.
His guns pointed toward the Inca's camp, though he had instructions to
turn them on the square as soon as the Peruvians arrived. De Soto and
Hernando Pizarro divided the horse {80} between them and occupied the
houses on the other side of the square with them. The infantry were
distributed at various points of vantage. Pizarro reserved twenty of
the trustiest blades for his own escort. The arms of the men were
carefully looked to, and nothing that the skill or experience of the
captains could suggest was left undone to promote the success of their
hazardous and bold undertaking.

Mass was said with great solemnity by the priest of the expedition, Fra
Vincente de Valverde, an iron-souled, fierce-hearted Dominican, meet
ecclesiastic for such a band. Refreshments were then provided
liberally for the soldiers--it is not so stated, but it may be presumed
that some of them were in liquid shape--and then the whole party
settled down to await developments. Nothing seemed to be going on in
the Peruvian camp during the morning. The Inca moved toward the city
in the afternoon, but stopped just outside the walls, to the great
annoyance of the Spaniards, who had found the long wait a trying
experience indeed. Late in the afternoon, Pizarro received a message
that Atahualpa had changed his mind and would not visit him until the
following day. This did not suit his plans at all. He instantly
returned an answer to the Inca, begging him not to defer his visit,
saying that he had provided everything for his entertainment--which was
quite true although in a very different sense from that conveyed by the
words of his messenger--and requesting Atahualpa to arrange to sup with
him without fail that night. Pizarro had previously assured the Inca
that he would receive him as a "friend and brother"! What reasons
actuated the Inca we have no means of ascertaining. Suffice it to say
that he changed his mind and came.

{81}

A short time after sunset, therefore, the Inca, attended by a numerous
retinue, entered the square. Atahualpa was borne aloft on a throne
made of massive gold, supported on the shoulders of his attendants. He
was dressed with barbaric magnificence in robes