ver
assembled for such a purpose in Spanish America in the sixteenth
century, but was composed of the worst and most desperate elements that
the Spanish colonies ever contained. Ursua's force was concentrated on
the banks of the upper Amazon; July 1, 1560, the first brigantine
floated down the great river. The main body followed in other
brigantines on the 26th of September.

The country was one vast tropical forest, absolutely deserted. It soon
became apparent that their golden expectations could never be realized,
and discontent began to play a bloody role. The throng of desperadoes by
whose practical banishment the wise viceroy had purified Peru, could not
be expected to get along well together. No longer scattered among good
citizens who could restrain them, but in condensed rascality, they soon
began to suggest the fable of the Kilkenny cats. Their voyage was an
orgie entirely indescribable.

Among these scoundrels was one of peculiar character,--a physically
deformed but very ambitious fellow, who had every reason not to wish to
return to Peru. This was Lope de Aguirre. Seeing that the object of the
expedition must absolutely fail, he began to form a nefarious plot. If
they could not get gold in the way they had hoped, why not in another
way? In short, he conceived the audacious plan of turning traitor to
Spain and everything else, and founding a new empire. To achieve this he
felt it necessary to remove the leaders of the expedition, who might
have scruples against betraying their country. So, as the wretched
brigantines floated down the great river, they became the stage of a
series of atrocious tragedies. First, the commander Ursua was
assassinated, and in his place was put a young but dissolute nobleman,
Fernando de Guzman. He was at once elevated to the dignity of a
prince,--the first open step toward high treason.

Then Guzman was murdered, and also the infamous Ynez de Atienza, a woman
who bore a shameful part in the affair; and the misshapen Aguirre became
leader and "tyrant." His treason was now undisguised, and he commanded
the expedition thenceforth not as a Spanish officer, but as a rebel and
a pirate. As he steered toward the Atlantic, it was with plans of
appalling magnitude and daring. He intended to sail to the Gulf of
Mexico, land on the Isthmus, seize Panama, and thence sail to Peru,
where he would kill off all who opposed him, and establish an empire of
his own!

But a curious accident brou