death of that unfortunate prince was resolved on, and even this determination was communicated to him.  Astonished at this fatal intelligence, of which he had never entertained the slightest suspicion, Atahualpa urged his merciless conquerors to confine him rather in a stricter captivity, or even to put him on board their ships.  “I know not,” said he, “how you can possibly suppose me so stupid as to think of any treachery against you in my present situation.  How can you believe those troops which you say are assembled, have been called together by my orders or by my consent?  Am I not a prisoner, in chains, and in your hands?  And is it not easy for you to put me to death whenever these pretended troops make their appearance?  If you believe that my subjects will undertake any thing against you without my consent, you are ill informed of the absolute authority I possess over all my subjects, and the perfect obedience which it is their glory to render me on all occasions.  So to speak, the birds do not dare to fly, nor the leaves to move upon the trees without my orders; and how then shall my subjects presume to go to war against you without my consent.”

All that he could urge was of no avail, as his death was absolutely resolved upon, although he offered to place hostages of the highest consideration in the hands of the Spaniards, whose lives should be answerable for any of the Christians who might be slain or ill treated by his subjects.  Besides the suspicions already mentioned, which were alleged against Atahualpa, it is said that he was accused of the death of his brother Huascar.  He was condemned to die, and his sentence was executed without delay.  In his distress, he was continually repeating the name of Ferdinand Pizarro; saying, if he had been present, he would not have allowed him to be thus unjustly put to death.  Shortly before his death, he was persuaded by Pizarro and Valverde to submit to the ceremony of baptism[21].

“While Almagro and his followers openly demanded the life of Atahualpa, and Philippillo laboured to ruin him by private machinations, that unhappy prince inadvertently contributed to hasten his own fate.  During his confinement he had attached himself with peculiar affection to Ferdinand Pizarro and Hernando Soto; who, as they were persons of birth and education superior to the rough adventurers with whom they served, were accustomed to behave with more decency and attention to the captive monarch.  Soothed with this respect from persons of such high rank, he delighted in their society.  But in the presence of the governor he was always uneasy and overawed.  This dread soon came to be mingled with contempt.  Among all the European arts, that which he most admired, was reading and writing; and he long deliberated with himself, whether he should regard it as a natural or acquired talent.  In order to determine this, he desired one of the soldiers who guarded him, to write the name of God on the nail of his thumb.  This he shewed