ised to release him only after he had bound himself to fill
a moderate-sized room with gold from the floor up to as high as he could
reach with his hand. Then messages in knotted cords were carried through
all the country which remained faithful to Atahualpa, and vessels,
bowls, ornaments, and ingots of gold poured in from temples and palaces.
In a short time the room was filled and the ransom paid, but the Inca
king was still kept a prisoner. He reminded Pizarro of his promised
word. The unscrupulous adventurer laughed in his black beard. Instead of
keeping his promise, he accused Atahualpa of conspiracy, condemned him
to death, and the innocent and pious Indian king was strangled in
prison. By this abominable deed the whole Spanish conquest was covered
with shame and disgrace.

One of Pizarro's comrades in arms, Almagro, now arrived with
reinforcements, and with an army of 500 men Pizarro marched on through
the high lands to the capital, Cuzco, which he captured. Then he fell
out with Almagro, and the latter determined to seek out other gold
countries in the south on his own account. With a small party he marched
up into the mountains of Bolivia, and then followed the coast southwards
to the neighbourhood of Aconcagua. He certainly found no gold, but he
achieved a great exploit, for he led his troop through the dreaded
Atacama desert.

Meanwhile Pizarro ruled in the conquered kingdom. Close to the coast he
founded Lima, which was afterwards for a long period the residence of
the Spanish viceroy, and is now, with nearly 150,000 inhabitants, still
the capital of Peru. It has a large number of monasteries and churches,
and a stately cathedral. The port town, Callao, was almost totally
destroyed a hundred and sixty-six years ago by a tidal wave, which
drowned the inhabitants and swept away the houses; but it gradually
regained its prosperity, and now has 50,000 inhabitants.

At length, however, Pizarro roused a formidable insurrection by his
cruelty, and while he was besieged in Lima his three brothers were shut
up in Cuzco. Just then Almagro returned from the Atacama desert,
defeated the Peruvians, seized Cuzco, and made the three Pizarro
brothers prisoners. But the fourth brother, the conqueror, succeeded in
effecting their liberation and in capturing Almagro, who was at once
sent to the gallows. A few years later, however, Almagro's friends
wreaked vengeance on Pizarro; a score of conspirators rushed into the
govern