So Thick A Smoke Was Seen To
Arise From The City, That Pizarro Suspected The Peruvians Had Set It On
Fire, And Immediately Sent On A Detachment Of Cavalry To Endeavour If
Possible To Prevent The Destruction Of The City.
On their arrival near
Cuzco, a vast body of Peruvians issued from the city and attacked them
with great
Violence, with stones, darts, and other arms; insomuch that the
Spaniards were forced to retreat above a league to rejoin the main body of
the army which was commanded by Pizarro in person. He immediately detached
the greater part of his cavalry under the command of his brothers Juan and
Gonzalo, who attacked the enemy with so much courage and impetuosity, that
they were soon defeated and many Peruvians were slain in the pursuit. On
the approach of night, Pizarro reassembled all his army, which he ordered
to lie on their arms; and marched next morning with every precaution to
Cuzco, which he entered without opposition.
After remaining twenty days in Cuzco, Pizarro was informed that the
Peruvian General Quizquiz had drawn together a considerable body of
warriors, with whom he pillaged and raised contributions in a province
named _Condefugo_[25]. The governor detached Hernando Soto with fifty
horsemen against Quizquiz, who did not think proper to await his arrival;
but he took the resolution of marching to Xauxa or Jauja, on purpose to
attack the baggage and royal treasure belonging to the Spaniards, which
had been left there with a guard, under the care of Requelme the treasurer.
Although the Spanish troops in Xauxa were few in number, they posted
themselves in a strong position, waiting the attack of Quizquiz, and
defended themselves so courageously that he was unable to make any
impression upon them, and accordingly drew off his troops, taking the road
to Quito. The governor sent Soto after him with his detachment of cavalry,
and soon afterwards sent off his two brothers, Juan and Gonzalo, to
reinforce Soto. These three Spanish captains pursued Quizquiz above a
hundred leagues, but were unable to come up with him, and returned
therefore to Cuzco.
In that ancient capital of the Peruvian empire, Pizarro and the Spaniards
found a prodigious booty in gold and silver, not less in value than all
they had collected at Caxamarca for the ransom of Atahualpa. He made a
division of this among his soldiers, and settled a colony in Cuzco, which
had long been the capital of the Peruvian empire, and continued to be so
for a considerable time under the Spaniards. He likewise made a
repartition of Indians among such Spaniards as chose to settle in the
place as colonists: Only a few, however, chose to avail themselves of
their advantage; as a considerable proportion of the Spaniards were better
pleased to return into Spain, that they might enjoy in repose the treasure
which they had acquired at Caxamarca and Cuzco, than to remain in Peru.
"The riches displayed by the early conquerors of Peru on their return
among their astonished countrymen, had so great an effect to induce others
to try their fortunes in that golden region, that the governors of
Guatimala, Panama, and Nicaragua could hardly restrain the people under
their jurisdiction from abandoning their possessions, and crowding to that
inexhaustible source of wealth which seemed to be opened in Peru.
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