d to the proposal, and
by the Inca's orders messengers were despatched to Cuzco and other
important cities of the empire, for the required booty.

This arrangement reached the ears of Huascar, then a prisoner in the
hands of his younger brother's adherents; he thereupon sent word to
the Spaniards that he would pay a much larger reward if they would
espouse his cause and set him free. Unfortunately for both him and
Pizarro, the offer reached the ears of Atahualpa, who secretly caused
Huascar to be put to death.

The golden treasure soon began to come in, borne on the backs of
Indians,--goblets, vases, salvers, massy plates and tiles from the
walls of palaces and temples, and images of plants and animals. Some
of these objects weighed individually several pounds; and the art
displayed in their manufacture was often admirable. But they were all
ruthlessly melted down into ingots, to be divided among the
conquerors. Gold to the value of more than seventeen million dollars,
measured by our modern standard, was thus secured, besides a vast
amount of silver. Certainly no prince in all the world's history had
ever paid such a ransom.

The treasure was a long while coming in; and Pizarro had ample time to
consider how he should keep his part of the contract. He could never
have had any intention of giving the Inca his liberty; nor was he deep
enough in his craft to perceive the immense advantage he might gain by
holding him a captive. He resolved upon his death. The unhappy prince
was tried by a military court of his enemies, charged with the
usurpation of the empire, with the murder of his brother, and with
attempts to incite an insurrection against the Spaniards. He was
condemned, received as a convert to the Catholic faith, baptized, and
executed. This event occurred August 29, 1533.

Meanwhile Almagro had arrived with a much-needed reinforcement; and
adventurers of all sorts, from Spain and her western colonies, soon
began to flock to the newly opened land of gold. Pizarro marched upon
Cuzco, which he took after a fierce battle, and pillaged of what gold
had not been already removed for Atahualpa's ransom. He caused Manco
Capae, a young prince of the royal blood, to be proclaimed Inca; drove
him by his oppressions to revolt; and was besieged by him in Cuzco.
The Peruvians assaulted the city in countless numbers, set fire to the
houses with flaming arrows and red-hot stones, and might have starved
or destroyed the Spania