Discovery of the Americas, 1492-1800

Pizarro left the highway, taking the most direct
overland route with only 40 cavalrymen and 60
footsoldiers. The Spaniards hiked for a week
over mountains nearly 14,000 feet above sea
level. “The cold is so great on these mountains,”
wrote Xéres, “that some of the horses, accus-
tomed to the warmth of the valleys, were frost-
bitten.” On November 14 they saw Cajamarca in
the valley below, dwarfed amid an encampment
of more than 30,000 of Atahualpa’s soldiers.
Accompanied by an unidentified inter-
preter, Pizarro’s cavalry captain Hernando de
Soto rode to meet Atahualpa the next day.
Atahualpa was scornful and unimpressed by
the Spaniard, who put on a display of horse-
manship for terrified Inca retainers, none of

whom had ever seen such an animal. When

Pizarro’s brother Hernando joined them, pro-

fessing friendship, Atahualpa announced that

he had received reports of Spaniards enslaving

his subjects. Hernando Pizarro haughtily

denied the charge, adding that 10 Spaniards

would be enough to rid Atahualpa of his ene-

mies. Atahualpa laughed and agreed to meet

Francisco Pizarro on the following day, Novem-

ber 16, 1532.

That night Pizarro’s men hid in the build-

ings surrounding Cajamarca’s main square.

The following afternoon, Atahualpa arrived,

carried on a royal stretcher and accompanied

by alarge escort. Pizarro appeared and told

Atahualpa through an interpreter that he was

Pizarro, Peru, and South America B 69

few gold artifacts escaped being melted down by conquistadores, also pro-

vide useful information about Inca culture and history.

Machu Picchu, whose ruins are shown here, was one of the Inca’s magnificent,

terraced cities.(PhotoDisc)