Page:The Incas of Peru.djvu/288

250 ransom in gold was to be paid for his release. Atahualpa had been accepted as Inca after the victories of his generals. The mechanism of the empire went on working as if nothing had happened, and when the orders came for the gold to be sent to Caxamarca, the roads were promptly traversed by the bearers of gold in all shapes and forms. The army of Quizquiz and Chalcuchima evacuated Cuzco, and proceeded towards Caxamarca in some confusion, ready to obey and help their captured sovereign. The atrocities said to have been committed by these conquerors while at Cuzco were naturally exaggerated, the accounts having been received by the Spanish writers from the conquered side. The immediate relations and friends of Huascar were slaughtered, and, for some reason which is not quite clear, the malqui of the great Inca Tupac Yupanqui was desecrated and its guardians were put to death. But there was no general massacre of the Incas, and as soon as Cuzco was evacuated by Atahualpa's generals, the Orejones resumed their offices and duties, accepting the young prince Manco as their Inca when the news of Atahualpa's death arrived.

The unhappy Huascar, with his mother and wives and chief officers, were being taken as prisoners to Caxamarca. Pizarro heard of the war waged against each other by the two brothers, and he told Atahualpa that he would judge between them. This threat induced Atahualpa to send an order for the prisoners to be put to death. It