The Complete Works of William Hickling Prescott; The History of the Conquest of Peru (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896 Excerpt: ...dreary region, intersected with barrancas and rocky ravines that added incredibly to their toil. Their principal food was the parched corn, which usually formed the nourishment of the travelling Indians, though held of much less account by the Spaniards; and this meagre fare was reinforced by such herbs as they found on the way-side, which, for want of better utensils, the soldiers were fain to boil in their helmets.8 Carbajal, meanwhile, pressed on them so close that their baggage, ammunition, and sometimes their mules, fell into his hands. The indefatigable warrior was always on their track, by day and by night, allowing them scarcely any repose. They spread no tent, and lay down in their arms, with their steeds standing saddled beside them; and hardly had the weary soldier closed his 'Fernandez, Hist, del Pern, ubi algunas Jervas, que cocian en laa supra.--Herrera, Hist, general, dec. Celadas, quando paraban a dar 7, lib. 9, cap. 22.--Garcilasso, aliento a loa Caballos." Herrera, Com. Real., lib. 4, cap. 26. Hist, general, dec. 7, lib. 9, cap. " Caminando, pues, comiendo 84. eyes when he was startled by the cry that the enemy was upon him.9 At length the harassed followers of Blasco Nunez reached the depoblado, or desert of Paltos, whicL stretches towards the north for many a dreary league. The ground, intersected by numerous streams, has the character of a great quagmire, and men and horses floundered about in the stagnant waters, or with difficulty worked their way over the marsh, or opened a passage through the tangled underwood that shot up in rank luxuriance from the surface. The wayworn horses, without food, except such as they could pick up in the wilderness, were often spent with travel, and, becoming unserviceable, were left to di...