Nexus - 0211 - New Times Magazine-pages

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TREASURE OF THE SAN ANDREAS ee eee arms, shouted at them to desist on pain of The tragic fate of Peru was now settled. in the open, they fled in all directions, but geath. "Let no man who values his life, A mere handful of Spaniards had tri- even these poor runaways did not elude strike the Inca!” A sword, already uplift- umphed. the Spaniards for long. The cavalrymen, eq, descended, and the Pizarro received a Atahualpa, deprived of his former striking their iron heels into their chargers, wound on the hand. It was a minor grandeur, but free to enjoy the attentions leaped through the gaping hole, and gave yoynd, and it was the only casualty the of his household and wives, and certain chase, until all were overtaken and killed. gyaniards experienced throughout the late other privileges befitting his high rank, Meanwhile the despairing Indian nobles, afternoon of unmitigated savagery. continued to hold court in miniature. His in trying to protect their beloved Inca, put tadeed the unprovoked assault on the five visitors were allowed to come and go, and themselves in front of the Spaniards, or, at 14 six thousand defenceless Indians was these kept him well informed of events. least, offered themselves as easy targets t0 exceptionally ferocious, because it took From them he learned how the Spaniards be slain by their weapons. Some of the only half an hour to Sat every single had ransacked the temples and palaces to nobles, struck down, but not killed, clawed one of them. "The Inca will, at all times," 84iM possession of enormous plunder. It their way out from under the dead and said Pinar, “be treated wit the pistes was very evident from these reports that dying to an unsteady footing on the slip- pola , the strangers had an insatiable desire for pery blood soaked ground, and again took — . . gold. Could their avarice be used to their places by the palanquin of their mas- _ He took the white scarf from around his Secure his freedom? One day, when ter. With their dying gasps, they ching to 1k and, wrapping it around his wounded —pizarro came to his quarters, Atahualpa the horses, or to the legs of the Spanish and, wiped the blade of his sword clean made him a fantastic proposal. “Set me soldiers. Soon their rapidly dwindling 1 it. “Is that understood by all of you?" free," he said, abruptly, “and I will cover numbers could no longer withhold the When no one answered, he sheathed his the floor of this room with gold.” cruel onslaught, and their last desperate Sword. Atahualpa was then taken a pris- = Those Spaniards present stared in struggles were swiftly brought to an end, ner to the fortress. amazement, for the room was about 17 Now only the Inca, Atahualpa, was left When the ghastly tidings of what had feet wide, by 22 feet long. Taking in the alive, and some of the Spanish cavaliers happened in the plaza reached the Inca size of the room, Pizarro silently wanted to kill him too, but Pizarro jumped camp, the army of Atahualpa took fright expressed his doubt by slowly shaking his in front of them and, stretching out his and dissolved overnight. head. Not all the gold in the world could Continued from page 41