vessel, and discovered Tumbez and Payta. Here Pedro de Candia[1] went on shore, and came to Tumbez, where he said he had seen grand things, which did not afterwards appear. The Indians, seeing that the Spaniards were so few in number, did not fear them nor desire to injure them, thinking that they were merchants. Pizarro returned; and two Spaniards remained on shore of their own accord, who, not knowing how to conduct themselves towards the Indians, were killed by them.[2] Pizarro returned to Spain with the account of this discovery, and came back as governor. He set out from Panama with a large force in two ships, and landed on the island of Puna, which is opposite Tumbez. This is an island inhabited by a populous and warlike race. They came forth peacefully; and on learning what the Christians intended, they attacked their camp at dawn one morning, and put the Christians to great straits. They wounded Hernando Pizarro, who fell from his horse. The Indians being defeated and the island subdued, plenty of provisions arrived at the camp; and Pizarro waited there, without landing on the opposite coast, until Hernando de Soto[3] arrived from Nicaragua with the other ships, and re-
- ↑ For an account of Pedro de Candia, see my Cieza de Leon, note, p. 193.
- ↑ Only one, Alonzo de Molina, one of the thirteen who crossed the line. He died before the return of Pizarro. Herrera, dec. iii., lib. iii., cap. 3.
- ↑ Hernando de Soto was a native of Estremadura, son of a gentleman of Xeres de Badajos. He went to America in the expedition of Pedrarias, and received promotion from him. Almagro sent him with a ship to Nicaragua to collect troops and arms, and he sailed thence to reinforce Pizarro, whom he found on the island of Puná, on the point of commencing the invasion of Peru. In May 1532 Hernando de Soto landed with Pizarro at Tumbez, and took a leading part in the subsequent conquest. He was one of Pizarro's most enterprising lieutenants. He was absent when the Ynca Atahualpa was so basely murdered by Pizarro and his vile crew, and it is highly to his credit that, on his return, he expressed the greatest indignation at the perpetration of this atrocious act. He went in advance of Pizarro, to Cuzco, but soon afterwards returned
