Atacames is a beach town and surround canton located on Ecuador 's Northern Pacific coast. It is located in the province of Esmeraldas , approximately 30 kilometers south west from the capital of that province, which is also called Esmeraldas. In 2022 Atacames town had a population of 18,948, while the canton had 51,204 (in the 2022 census). Atacames has one of the lowest rates of poverty in the province of Esmeraldas (68% in 2005).
126-504: During Francisco Pizarro 's second conquest in 1526, he landed at Atacames. There he was unable to conquer or invade the land due to the resistance that he found in the local people who were at that time under the Incas . In the centuries after Spanish conquest, some slave ships came from Africa. In 1553 a ship carrying slaves from Panama to Peru was stranded on Esmeralda, and the 25 slaves on board managed to escape from their captors. [1] In
252-478: A certain respect and fear among the natives. In a letter addressed to the King of Spain, he expressed, somewhat ironically, that he had to act as a conciliatory force during the course of his expeditions. He succeeded in planting corn , received fresh supplies from Hispaniola and Spain, and got his men accustomed to life as explorers in the new territories. Balboa managed to collect a great deal of gold, much of it from
378-541: A dispute occurred between Pizarro and Almagro respecting the limits of their jurisdiction, as both claimed the city of Cuzco. The king of Spain had awarded the Governorate of New Toledo to Almagro and the Governorate of New Castile to Pizarro. The dispute had originated from a disagreement on how to interpret the limit between the governorates. This led to confrontations between the Pizarro brothers and Almagro, who
504-403: A few fought the intruders, numbered variously between seven and 25. While Pizarro struggled to buckle on his breastplate, his defenders, including his half-brother Martín de Alcántara, were killed". For his part, Pizarro killed two attackers and ran through a third. A contemporary chronicler, Agustín de Zárate , wrote that Pizarro fought until "he was too exhausted to brandish his sword" and then
630-439: A few native guides, and a pack of dogs. Using a small brigantine and ten native canoes , they sailed along the coast and made landfall in cacique Careta's territory. On September 6, the expedition continued, now reinforced with 1,000 of Careta's men, and entered cacique Ponca's land. Ponca had reorganized and attacked, but he was defeated and forced to ally himself with Balboa. After a few days, and with several of Ponca's men,
756-521: A few years and undertook two failed expeditions to Peru. In 1529, Pizarro obtained permission from the Spanish crown to lead a campaign to conquer Peru and went on his third, and successful, expedition. When local people who lived along the coast resisted this invasion, Pizarro moved inland and founded the first Spanish settlement in Peru, San Miguel de Piura . After a series of manoeuvres, Pizarro captured
882-521: A force of just 110-foot soldiers, 67 cavalry, three arquebuses and two falconets . He sent Hernando Pizarro and de Soto to meet with Atahualpa in his camp. Atahualpa agreed to meet Pizarro in his Cajamarca plaza fortress the next day. Fray Vincente de Valverde and native interpreter Felipillo approached Atahualpa in Cajamarca's central plaza. After the Dominican friar expounded the "true faith" and
1008-593: A group of soldiers commanded by Francisco Pizarro , who arrested him in the name of the governor and accused him of trying to usurp Pedrarias' power and create a separate government in the South Sea. Outraged, Balboa denied all charges and demanded that he be taken to Spain to stand trial. Pedrarias, together with Martin Enciso, ordered that the trial take place without delay. Balboa's trial began in January 1519 and on
1134-482: A kingdom to the south, where people were so rich that they ate and drank from plates and goblets made of gold, but that the conquerors would need at least a thousand men to defeat the tribes living inland and those on the coast of "the other sea". Balboa received the unexpected news of a new kingdom – rich in gold – with great interest. He returned to Santa María at the beginning of 1513 to recruit more men from Hispaniola. There he learned that Fernández de Enciso had told
1260-477: A living by braiding and putting beads in hair. The food served in Atacames is typical for much of the coastal regions of Ecuador. Meals will often consist of shrimp, crab, lobster, and fish. Several of the citizens in Atacames fish, and thus much of the food that is served is fresh. In Atacames you can typically find delicious ceviches, encocados and all sorts of seafood and, as is typical in most of Ecuador, rice
1386-520: A more open government was established and a municipal council was elected (the first in the Americas). Two alcaldes were appointed: Martín Samudio and Vasco Núñez de Balboa. Shortly after this, a flotilla led by Rodrigo Enrique de Colmenares arrived in Santa María. His objective was to find Nicuesa, who was also facing some difficulties in the north of Panamá. When de Colmenares learned about
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#17327871483361512-569: A participant in Ojeda's failed colony, commanding the remnants until he abandoned it with the survivors. He sailed to Cartagena and joined the fleet of Martín Fernández de Enciso and, in 1513, accompanied Balboa in his crossing of the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific. The following year, Pedro Arias Dávila became the newly appointed governor of Castilla de Oro and succeeded Balboa. During
1638-518: A partnership with a priest, Hernando de Luque and a soldier, Diego de Almagro , to explore and conquer the South. Pizarro, Almagro and Luque later explicitly renewed their compact, agreeing to conquer and divide equally among themselves the empire they hoped to vanquish. While their accord was strictly oral, they dubbed their enterprise the Empresa del Levante and determined that Pizarro would command
1764-469: A platform. The executioner beheaded Balboa and his four friends with an axe. Balboa's head did not come off clean on the first try; it took three. Their heads remained in public display for several days, as a sign of Pedrarias' might. The final location of Balboa's remains is unknown, partly because there is no record of what happened in Acla after the execution. Gaspar de Espinosa, Pedrarias' underling, sailed
1890-406: A privileged class of mainly Spanish descent. In the early 1930s, sculptor Ramsay MacDonald created three copies of an anonymous European foot soldier resembling a conquistador with a helmet, wielding a sword and riding a horse. The first copy was offered to Mexico to represent Cortés, though it was rejected. The statue was taken to Lima in 1934 and re-purposed to represent Pizarro. One other copy of
2016-524: A settlement in the region after her should they prevail. It was a difficult battle for both sides, but the Spanish were victorious. Cémaco, with his warriors, abandoned the town and headed for the jungle. The Spanish plundered the houses and gathered a treasure-trove of golden ornaments. Balboa kept his vow. In September 1510, he founded the first permanent settlement on mainland American soil, and called it Santa María la Antigua del Darién . The victory of
2142-462: A squabble among the Spaniards, unsatisfied by the meager amounts of gold they were being allotted. Comogre's eldest son, Panquiaco, angered by the Spaniards' avarice, knocked over the scales used to measure gold and exclaimed: "If you are so hungry for gold that you leave your lands to cause strife in those of others, I shall show you a province where you can quell this hunger." Panquiaco told them of
2268-552: A standard with the image of the Virgin Mary in the other, walked knee-deep into the ocean, and claimed possession of the new sea and all adjoining lands in the name of the Spanish sovereigns. After traveling more than 110 km (68 mi), Balboa named the bay where they ended up San Miguel , because they arrived on September 29, the feast day of the archangel Michael . He named the new sea Mar del Sur , since they had traveled south to reach it. Balboa's main purpose in
2394-449: Is also well known for its "caipirinhas", a Brazilian drink made from sugar cane alcohol, fresh lime juice and much ice. Along most of the beach there are bartenders situated in kiosks along the colorful beach shore that make a variety of local fruit shakes and juices. There a covered (though outdoor) line of booths called "covachas" where locals sell a variety of products such as hand made jewelry and handcrafts. Dozens of local women also earn
2520-429: Is generally served with the meal. A wide variety of fruit juices are also served, though beer (particularly Pilsener ), water, and carbonated beverages are also common. Vegetables, which are generally grown in the highlands of Ecuador, are often missing from the regular diet due to their higher price. Although only a small town, Atacames has several taxi services. Only one of these actually involves vehicular transport as
2646-560: Is the greatest and the finest ever seen in this country or anywhere in the Indies... We can assure your Majesty that it is so beautiful and has such fine buildings that it would be remarkable even in Spain." The Spanish sealed the conquest of Peru by entering Cuzco on 15 November 1533. Jauja , in the fertile Mantaro Valley , was established as Peru's provisional capital in April 1534, but it
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#17327871483362772-457: Is the justice that the King and his lieutenant Pedro Arias de Ávila impose upon these men, traitors and usurpers of the Crown's territories." Balboa could not restrain his indignation and replied: "Lies, lies! Never have such crimes held a place in my heart, I have always loyally served the King, with no thought in my mind but to increase his dominions." Pedrarias observed the execution, hidden behind
2898-659: The Americas , along with Juan de la Cosa , on Rodrigo de Bastidas ' expedition. Bastidas had a license to bring back treasure for the king and queen, while keeping four-fifths for himself, under a policy known as the quinto real , or "royal fifth". In 1501, he crossed the Caribbean coasts from the east of Panama , along the Colombian coast, through the Gulf of Urabá toward Cabo de la Vela . The expedition continued to explore
3024-523: The Italian campaigns under Córdoba . His mother married late in life and had a son Francisco Martín de Alcántara, who was at the conquest of Peru with his half-brother from its inception. Through his father, Francisco was a second cousin, once removed, of Hernán Cortés . On 10 November 1509, Pizarro sailed from Spain to the New World with Alonso de Ojeda on an expedition to Urabá . Pizarro became
3150-702: The Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire . Born in Trujillo, Spain , to a poor family, Pizarro chose to pursue fortune and adventure in the New World . He went to the Gulf of Urabá , and accompanied Vasco Núñez de Balboa in his crossing of the Isthmus of Panama , where they became the first Europeans to see the Pacific Ocean from the Americas. He served as mayor of the newly founded Panama City for
3276-430: The conquest of Tierra Firme (the area roughly corresponding to the Isthmus of Panama ). He created two new territories in the region between El Cabo de la Vela (near the eastern border of Colombia) and El Cabo de Gracias a Dios (the border between Honduras and Nicaragua ). The Gulf of Urabá became the border between the two territories: Nueva Andalucía to the east, governed by Alonso de Ojeda , and Veragua to
3402-420: The hidalgo (nobleman), Nuño Arias de Balboa. Little is known of Vasco's early childhood except that he was the third of four boys in his family. During his adolescence, he served as a page and squire to Don Pedro de Portocarrero, lord of Moguer . In 1500, motivated by his master after the news of Christopher Columbus 's voyages to the New World became known, he decided to embark on his first voyage to
3528-714: The Dabaibe region, along the Atrato river, for there was a rumour of the existence of a temple filled with vast riches there. However, this expedition turned out to be a failure, leaving Balboa wounded due to constant attacks by the region's natives. This setback, however, did not deter Balboa's ambitions of returning to explore the South Sea. Secretly, he arranged to recruit a contingent of men from Cuba . The ship carrying them berthed just outside Santa María, and its caretaker informed Balboa of their arrival, receiving in return 70 gold castellanos. Pedrarias, however, soon found out about
3654-577: The Inca captive at the so-called Ransom Room . By February 1533, Almagro had joined Pizarro in Cajamarca with an additional 150 men and 50 horses. Despite fulfilling his promise of filling one room (22 by 17 feet or 7 by 5 metres) with gold and two with silver, Atahualpa was convicted of 12 charges, including killing his brother and plotting against Pizarro and his forces. He was executed by garrote on 29 August 1533. Francisco Pizarro and de Soto were opposed to Atahualpa's execution, but Francisco consented to
3780-658: The Incan emperor Atahualpa at the Battle of Cajamarca in November 1532. A ransom for the emperor's release was demanded and Atahualpa filled a room with gold, but Pizarro charged him with various crimes and executed him in July 1533. The same year, Pizarro entered the Inca capital of Cuzco and completed his conquest of Peru. In January 1535, he founded the city of Lima . Pizarro eventually fell victim to political power struggles and
3906-440: The King instructed Pedrarias to show Balboa the greatest respect and to consult him on all matters pertaining to the conquest and government of Castilla de Oro. Because of all this, Pedrarias was to release and exonerate Balboa, lifting all charges brought up against him in the matter of the clandestine recruitment of an expeditionary party. At that point, the rivalry between Balboa and Pedrarias ceased abruptly, due in large part to
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4032-500: The Punian natives in the Battle of Puná , leaving three or four Spaniards dead and many wounded. Soon after, Hernando de Soto , another conquistador who had joined the expedition, arrived with 100 volunteers and horses to aid Pizarro and with him sailed towards Tumbes, only to find the place deserted and destroyed. The two conquistadors expected that the settlers had disappeared or died under murky circumstances. The chiefs explained that
4158-615: The San Juan River (part of the present boundary between Ecuador and Colombia ) Andagoya fell ill and returned to Panama. He spread the news and stories about "Pirú" – a great land to the south rich with gold (the legendary El Dorado ). These revelations, along with the accounts for Cortés' success in Mexico , caught the attention of Pizarro, prompting a series of expeditions to the south. In 1524, while still in Panama, Pizarro formed
4284-496: The South Sea aboard the very ships that Balboa had commissioned. In 1520, Ferdinand Magellan renamed the sea the Pacific Ocean because of its calm waters. Although Balboa suffered a premature death and is alleged to have used dogs to commit brutal executions against indigenous people, his actions and deeds are remembered by history as the first European to cross America . Several parks and avenues throughout Panama bear
4410-408: The South Sea, but Pedrarias did everything possible to delay his departure. In light of the new relationship between them, Pedrarias could not stop him indefinitely, and he finally consented to let Balboa go on his new expedition, giving him license to explore for a year and a half. In 1519, Balboa moved to Acla with 300 men and, using the manpower of the natives and African slaves, managed to gather
4536-426: The Spanish bestowed along their route, including Puerto Deseado (desired port), Puerto del Hambre (port of hunger) and Punta Quemado or Puebla Quemado (burned port), confirmed their difficulties. Fearing subsequent hostile encounters like the one the expedition endured at the Battle of Punta Quemada , Pizarro ended his first expedition and returned to Panama. Two years later Pizarro, Almagro and Luque started
4662-403: The Spanish over the natives and the founding of Santa María la Antigua del Darién, now located in a relatively calm region, earned Balboa authority and respect among his companions. They were increasingly hostile toward Alcalde Mayor Fernández de Enciso, whom they considered a greedy despot because of the restrictions he imposed on their appropriation of the natives' gold. Balboa took advantage of
4788-465: The arrangements for a second expedition with permission from Pedrarias Dávila , Panama's governor. Dávila, who himself was preparing an expedition north to Nicaragua, was reluctant to permit another expedition, having lost confidence in Pizarro. The three associates eventually won his trust and he acquiesced. By this time, a new governor was to arrive and succeed Dávila. Pedro de los Ríos took charge as
4914-603: The building of the palace; it features busts of them and others. It instantly became a recognizable symbol of the plaza. The opulent palace is structured in four stands, giving it the significance of the coat of arms of the Pizarro family, which is situated at one of its corner balconies displaying its iconographic content. The building's decor includes plateresque ornaments and balustrades . Fiction Vasco N%C3%BA%C3%B1ez de Balboa Vasco Núñez de Balboa ( Spanish pronunciation: [ˈbasko ˈnuɲeθ ðe βalˈβo.a] ; c. 1475 – around January 12–21, 1519)
5040-600: The central focus of this second expedition. Some natives were taken aboard Ruiz's ship to serve as interpreters. He then set sail north for the San Juan River, arriving to find Pizarro and his men exhausted from the difficulties they had faced exploring the new territory. Soon Almagro sailed into the port laden with supplies and a reinforcement of at least eighty recruits who had arrived at Panama from Spain with an expeditionary spirit. The findings and excellent news from Ruiz along with Almagro's new reinforcements cheered Pizarro and his tired followers. They decided to sail back to
5166-596: The change and some were planning to take up arms against Pedrarias, even as Balboa showed respect to the new colonial authorities. As soon as Pedrarias took charge, Gaspar de Espinosa had Balboa arrested and tried "in absentia", sentencing him to pay reparations to Fernández de Enciso and others. He was, however, found innocent of the charge of murdering Nicuesa, so he was freed shortly afterwards. Due to overpopulation in Santa María, Pedrarias called on several expeditionaries to search for new locations fit for settlement. Balboa requested of Pedrarias that he be allowed to explore
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5292-509: The city's port, a mob appeared, and the ensuing disturbance prevented the governor from disembarking into the city. Nicuesa insisted on being received, no longer as governor, but as a simple soldier, but still the colonists did not allow him to disembark. He and 17 others were forced to board an unseaworthy boat with few supplies, and were put out to sea on March 1, 1511. The ship disappeared, leaving no trace of Nicuesa and his men. In this way, Balboa became governor ( gobernador ) of Veragua. With
5418-403: The coasts near Ecuador, the province of Coaque and the region of esmeraldas , where some gold, silver and emeralds were procured and then dispatched to Almagro. The latter had stayed in Panama to gather more recruits. Sebastián de Belalcázar soon arrived with 30 men. Though Pizarro's main objective was then to set sail and dock at Tumbes like his previous expedition, he was forced to confront
5544-588: The colonial authorities what had happened at Santa María. After seeing that there would be no assistance from Hispaniola, Balboa sent Enrique de Colmenares directly to Spain to seek help. While the expedition to the South Sea (the name at the time of the Pacific Ocean ) was being organized in Santa María, some explorers travelled ten leagues (around 50 km or 30 miles) up the Atrato River toward
5670-429: The crew's pleas for his life, left Fernández de Enciso with no choice but to spare Balboa and keep him aboard. Moreover, both agreed on removing Nicuesa as governor of Veragua. After the 50 days had passed, Pizarro started preparations for the return to Hispaniola, when Enciso's ship arrived. Balboa had gained popularity among the crew because of his charisma and his knowledge of the region. By contrast Fernández de Enciso
5796-471: The decorations of silver and gold around the chief's residence and the hospitable attentions with which they were received by everyone. The Spanish also saw for the first time the Peruvian llama , which Pizarro called "little camels". Pizarro continued receiving the same accounts of a powerful monarch who ruled over the land they were exploring. These events served as evidence to convince the expedition that
5922-592: The distance of 200 leagues along the newly discovered coast and invested with all authority and prerogatives, leaving his associates in secondary positions (a fact that later incensed Almagro and would lead to eventual discord). One of the grant conditions was that within six months, Pizarro should raise a sufficiently equipped force of 250 men, of whom 100 might be drawn from the colonies. This gave Pizarro time to leave for his native Trujillo and convince his brother Hernando Pizarro and other close friends to join him on his third expedition. Francisco de Orellana joined
6048-410: The early days of the war when theoretically the Inca had a much greater advantage. Despite winning the majority of the battles, the inability of the Incan forces to overwhelm Cuzco's fortifications, manned as they were by only 200 fighting men armed with gunpowder weapons, signalled the definitive victory of Spanish forces. After the final effort of the Inca to recover Cuzco had been defeated by Almagro,
6174-571: The empire of Castile". The king, who was soon to leave for Italy, was impressed at his accounts and promised his support for the conquest of Peru. Queen Isabel , though, in the absence of the king, signed the Capitulación de Toledo on 6 July 1529, a license document that authorized Pizarro to proceed with the conquest of Peru . Pizarro was officially named the Governor, Captain general , Adelantado and Alguacil Mayor , of New Castile for
6300-421: The end of 1512 and the first months of 1513, he arrived in a region dominated by the cacique Careta, whom he easily defeated and then befriended. Careta was baptized and became one of Balboa's chief allies. He ensured the survival of the settlers by promising to supply the Spaniards with food. Balboa then proceeded on his journey, arriving in the lands of Careta's neighbour and rival, cacique Ponca, who fled to
6426-578: The expedition entered the dense jungle on September 20, and, with some difficulty, arrived four days later in the lands of cacique Torecha, who ruled in the village of Cuarecuá. In this village, a fierce battle took place, during which Balboa's forces defeated Torecha, who was killed by one of Balboa's dogs. Torecha's followers decided to join the expedition. The group was by then exhausted and several men were badly wounded, so many decided to stay in Cuarecuá to regain their strength. The few men who continued
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#17327871483366552-404: The expedition was the search for the gold-rich kingdoms promised by Panquiaco. To this end, he crossed through the lands of caciques Coquera and Tumaco, defeating them easily and taking their riches of gold and pearls . He then learned that pearls were abundant in the islands ruled by Terarequí, a powerful and feared cacique . Balboa set out in several canoes towards these islands, even though it
6678-470: The expedition's chaplain, intoned the Te Deum , while the men erected stone pyramids, and engraved crosses on the barks of trees with their swords, to mark the place where the discovery of the South Sea was made. After the moment of discovery, the expedition descended from the mountain range towards the sea, arriving in the lands of cacique Chiapes, who was defeated after a brief battle and invited to join
6804-401: The expedition's co-commander, Almagro, returned to Panama for reinforcements. Pizarro's Piloto Mayor (main pilot), Bartolomé Ruiz , continued sailing south and, after crossing the equator, found and captured a balsa (raft) under sail, with natives from Tumbes . To everyone's surprise, these carried textiles, ceramic objects and some pieces of gold, silver and emeralds, making Ruiz's findings
6930-420: The expedition, Almagro would provide military and food supplies and Luque would be in charge of finances and additional provisions. In November 1524, the first of three expeditions left Panama for the conquest of Peru with about 80 men and 4 horses. Juan de Salcedo was the standard bearer, Nicolás de Ribera was the treasurer and Juan Carvallo was the inspector. Diego de Almagro was left behind because he
7056-522: The expedition. From Chiapes' land, three groups departed in the search for routes to the coast. The group headed by Alonso Martín reached the shoreline two days later. They took a canoe for a short reconnaissance trip, thus becoming the first Europeans to navigate the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the New World. Back in Chiapes' domain, Martín informed Balboa, who, with 26 men, marched towards the coast. Once there, Balboa raised his hands, his sword in one and
7182-622: The features bore a remarkable resemblance to portraits made of the man in life. By his marriage to Quispe Sisa, Pizarro had a son also named Francisco, who married his relative Inés Pizarro, without issue. After Pizarro's death, Inés Yupanqui , whom he took as a mistress, Inca princess and favourite sister of Atahualpa, who had been given to Francisco in marriage by her brother, married a Spanish cavalier named Ampuero and left for Spain, taking her daughter who would later be legitimized by imperial decree. Francisca Pizarro Yupanqui eventually married her uncle Hernando Pizarro in Spain, on 10 October 1537;
7308-527: The fierce tribes of Punians had attacked them and ransacked the place. As Tumbes no longer afforded safe accommodations, Pizarro led an excursion into the interior in May 1532 and established the first Spanish settlement in Peru, San Miguel de Piura , and a repartimiento . Leaving 50 men back at the settlement under the command of Antonio Navarro, Pizarro proceeded with his conquest accompanied by 200 men on 24 September 1532. After arriving at Zaran, de Soto
7434-426: The fifteenth of that month, Espinosa sentenced him to death by decapitation. Four of Balboa's friends, Fernando de Argüello, Luis Botello, Hernán Muñoz, and Andrés Valderrábano, accused as accomplices, were sentenced to the same fate. The sentence was to be carried out in Acla, to show that the conspiracy had its roots in that colony. As Balboa and his friends were being led to the block, the town crier announced: "This
7560-543: The first time the ninth degree of the southern latitude in South America. On their return towards Panama, Pizarro briefly stopped at Tumbes, where two of his men had decided to stay to learn the customs and language of the natives. Pizarro was also given two Peruvian boys to learn Spanish, one of whom was later baptized as Felipillo and served as an important interpreter, the equivalent of Cortés' La Malinche of Mexico, and another called Martinillo. Their final stop
7686-414: The floor of the cathedral. In 1892, in preparation for the anniversary of Columbus ' discovery of the Americas, a body believed to be that of Pizarro was exhumed and put on display in a glass coffin. However, in 1977, men working on the cathedral's foundation discovered a lead box in a sealed niche, which bore the inscription: "Here is the head of Marquess Don Francisco Pizarro who discovered and conquered
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#17327871483367812-408: The following years more escaped slaves, along with the descendants of the former slaves, developed some of the lands along the coast. Although there were also other people groups present in Atacames in the 16th century, today Afro-Ecuadoreans make up a large portion of the population in Atacames. Tourism is Atacames's primary industry. For its population, Atacames has the highest level of hotels in
7938-564: The group and would later discover and explore the length of the Amazon River . Two half-brothers from his father, Juan Pizarro and Gonzalo Pizarro , and a half-brother from his mother, Francisco Martín de Alcántara, later also decided to join him, as well as his cousin Pedro Pizarro , who served as his page. When the expedition left the following year, it numbered three ships, 180 men and 27 horses. Pizarro could not raise
8064-564: The indigenous line. They would then fall back before the cavalry charge and draw the Europeans into a canyon where prepositioned forces could crush them under avalanches of rocks and missile weapons. Instead of charging the numerically inferior Europeans as they had done early on, Incan soldiers used their discipline and knowledge of the terrain in order to draw the armoured cavalry charge into a death trap. Well documented battlefield deaths show that many more Spaniards died in these battles than in
8190-460: The intention of bringing Pizarro and his crew back to Panama. Pizarro had no intention of returning and when Tafur arrived at Isla de Gallo, Pizarro drew a line in the sand, saying: "There lies Peru with its riches; Here, Panama and its poverty. Choose, each man, what best becomes a brave Castilian. For my part, I go to the south." Only 13 men stayed with Pizarro. They later became known as "The Famous Thirteen " ( Los trece de la fama ), while
8316-543: The intercession of Bishop de Quevedo and Isabel de Bobadilla , who arranged for Balboa's marriage to María de Peñalosa, one of Pedrarias' daughters, who was in Spain. Shortly thereafter, the bishop left for Spain and the marriage took place by proxy (they would never meet because she was in Spain and Balboa would never return to his homeland). The friendship between Pedrarias and Balboa lasted barely two years, but in that time Balboa came to show great filial affection toward his father-in-law. Balboa wished to continue exploring
8442-448: The interior, but returned empty handed. Balboa's request for men and supplies had been denied: Enciso's case was by then widely known in the Spanish court . Therefore, Balboa had no choice but to carry out his expedition with the few resources that he had on hand in Santa María. Using information given by various friendly caciques , Balboa started his journey across the Isthmus of Panama on September 1, 1513, together with 190 Spaniards,
8568-521: The journey with Balboa entered the mountain range along the Chucunaque River the next day. According to information from the natives, one could see the South Sea from the summit of this range. Balboa went ahead and, before noon that day, September 25, he reached the summit and saw, far in the horizon, the waters of the undiscovered sea. The emotions were such that the others eagerly joined in to show their joy at Balboa's discovery. Andrés de Vera,
8694-467: The kingdoms of Peru and presented them to the crown of Castile." A team of forensic scientists from the United States, led by William R. Maples , was invited to examine the two bodies and they soon determined that the body which had been honored in the glass case for nearly a century had been incorrectly identified. The skull within the lead box not only bore the marks of multiple sword blows, but
8820-436: The location where the city of Cartagena de Indias was later built. The settlers encountered resistance from natives living in the area, who used poisoned weapons, and Ojeda was injured in the leg. A short time later, Ojeda sailed for Hispaniola, leaving the colony under the supervision of Francisco Pizarro , who, at that time, was only a soldier waiting for Enciso's expedition to arrive. Ojeda asked Pizarro to leave some men in
8946-688: The materials necessary to build new ships. He traveled to the Balsas River (Río Balsas), where he had four ships built. He travelled 74 km (46 mi) through the Pacific, surrounding the Pearl Islands and the coasts of Darién, up to Puerto Piñas , so named because of the large amounts of pineapples (piñas) he found there. He then returned to Acla, to continue the construction of sturdier ships. On his return, Pedrarias wrote warm letters urging Balboa to meet him as soon as possible. Balboa quickly obeyed. Halfway to Santa María, he encountered
9072-525: The mountains with his people, leaving his village open to plundering by the Spaniards and Careta's men. Days later, the expedition arrived in the lands of cacique Comogre, fertile but reportedly dangerous terrain. Balboa was received peacefully, and even invited to a feast in his honor; Comogre, like Careta, was then baptized. In 1513, Balboa wrote a lengthy letter to the King of Spain, requesting more men (who were already acclimatized) from Hispaniola, weapons, supplies, carpenters versed in shipbuilding, and all
9198-734: The name "Vasco Núñez de Balboa", and a number of monuments honour his discovery of the South Sea. The Panamanian currency is called the Balboa , and his likeness appears on the obverse of most Panamanian coins. His name is also attached to Panama City 's main port, Balboa (the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal ) and the Balboa District within Panamá Province to which the Pearl Islands that he discovered belong, and
9324-424: The name Doña Angelina and made the concubine of Francisco Pizarro. By 1538, it was known she had borne Pizarro two sons, Juan and Francisco. In Lima, on 26 June 1541 "a group of 20 heavily armed supporters of Diego de Almagro II "el mozo" stormed Pizarro's palace, assassinating him and then forcing the terrified city council to appoint young Almagro as the new governor of Peru". "Most of Pizarro's guests fled, but
9450-473: The necessary materials for the building of a shipyard . In a subsequent letter, from 1515, he said the "Indians who had been like sheep had become like lions." He would refer to his humanitarian policies regarding the natives, while at the same time recommending extreme severity in dealing with cannibals and violent tribes. It was in Comogre's lands that Balboa first heard of "the other sea". It started with
9576-572: The need to pay tribute to the Emperor Charles V , Atahualpa replied, "I will be no man's tributary." His complacency, because fewer than 200 Spanish remained, as opposed to his 50,000-man army, of which 6,000 accompanied him to Cajamarca, sealed his fate and that of the Inca empire. Atahualpa's refusal led Pizarro and his force to attack the Inca army in what became the Battle of Cajamarca on 16 November 1532. The Spanish were successful. Pizarro executed Atahualpa's 12-man honor guard and took
9702-553: The new colonial administrator in July 1526 and initially approved Pizarro's expeditions (he would join him several years later in Peru). On 10 March 1526, Pizarro left Panama with two ships with 160 men and several horses, reaching as far as the Colombian San Juan River. Soon after arriving the party separated, with Pizarro staying to explore the new and often perilous territory off the swampy Colombian coasts, while
9828-416: The next five years, Pizarro became a close associate of Dávila and the governor assigned him a repartimiento of natives and cattle. When Dávila decided to get rid of Balboa out of distrust, he instructed Pizarro to personally arrest him and bring him to stand trial. Balboa was beheaded in January 1519. For his loyalty to Dávila, Pizarro was rewarded with the positions of mayor ( Alcalde ) and magistrate of
9954-506: The north east of South America, until they realized they did not have enough men and sailed to Hispaniola . With his share of the earnings from this campaign, Balboa settled in Hispaniola in 1505, where he resided for several years as a planter and pig farmer. He was not successful in this enterprise, and ended up in debt, and was forced to abandon life on the island. In 1508, the king of Spain , Ferdinand II "The Catholic" , launched
10080-457: The northwestern Peruvian Tumbes Region . Tumbes became the first success the Spanish had so long desired. They were received with a warm welcome of hospitality and provisions from the Tumpis, the local inhabitants. On subsequent days two of Pizarro's men, Alonso de Molina and Pedro de Candia , reconnoitred the territory and both, on separate accounts, reported back the riches of the land, including
10206-525: The number of men the Capitulación required and sailed clandestinely from the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda for the Canary Island of La Gomera in January 1530. He was there joined by his brother Hernando and the remaining men in two vessels that would sail back to Panama. Pizarro's third and final expedition left Panama for Peru on 27 December 1530. In 1531, Pizarro once again landed on
10332-441: The ornaments worn by native women, and the rest obtained by violence. The Italian historian Peter Martyr d'Anghiera in his De orbe novo decades describes Balboa unleashing his dogs to kill 40 natives for their apparent sodomy. The writer Genny Beeman believes that this was a persecution of the natives for breaking the gender binary, since the natives had been assigned male at birth but were taking on female gender roles. At
10458-420: The recent events, he convinced the town's settlers that they should submit to the authority of Nicuesa, since their land was under his jurisdiction. Enrique de Colmenares invited two representatives, to be named by the local government, to travel with his flotilla and offer Nicuesa authority over the city. The two representatives were Diego de Albites and Diego del Corral. Enrique de Colmenares found Nicuesa near
10584-537: The regions of Teoca, Pacra, Bugue Bugue, Bononaima, and Chorizo, defeating some by force and befriending others through diplomacy. A particularly bloody battle took place against the cacique Tubanamá, whom Balboa eventually defeated. In December, the expedition arrived back in the Caribbean coast, by the Gulf of San Blas , a strip of land ruled by cacique Pocorosa. From there, he headed to the lands of Comogre, to find that his elderly ally had died. His son, Panquiaco,
10710-425: The requests for another ship, but only to bring Pizarro back within six months and completely abandon the expedition. Almagro and Luque grasped the opportunity and left Panama (this time without new recruits) for La Isla Gorgona to once again join Pizarro. On meeting with Pizarro, the associates decided to continue sailing south on the recommendations of Ruiz's Indian interpreters. By April 1528, they finally reached
10836-470: The rest of the expeditioners stayed with Tafur. Ruiz left in one of the ships with the intention of joining Almagro and Luque in their efforts to gather reinforcements. Soon after the ships left, Pizarro and his men constructed a crude boat and journeyed 25 leagues north to La Isla Gorgona, where they would remain for seven months before the arrival of new provisions. Back in Panama, Pedro de los Ríos (after much convincing by Luque) had finally acquiesced to
10962-525: The rest of the taxi services rely on bikes that are either gas or manually powered. 0°52′N 79°50′W / 0.867°N 79.833°W / 0.867; -79.833 Francisco Pizarro Francisco Pizarro, Marquess of the Atabillos ( / p ɪ ˈ z ɑːr oʊ / ; Spanish: [fɾanˈθisko piˈθaro] ; c. 16 March 1478 – 26 June 1541) was a Spanish conquistador , best known for his expeditions that led to
11088-505: The same ship were two representatives from Balboa, who were to inform the colonial authorities of the situation, and request more men and supplies to continue the conquest of Veragua. Balboa continued defeating various tribes and befriending others, exploring rivers, mountains, and sickly swamps, while always searching for gold and slaves and enlarging his territory. He was able to quell revolts among his men who challenged this authority, and through force, diplomacy, and negotiation, he earned
11214-489: The settlement for 50 days and, if no help arrived at the end of that time, to use all possible means to get back to Hispaniola. Before the expedition arrived at San Sebastián de Urabá, Fernández de Enciso discovered Balboa aboard the ship, and threatened to leave him at the first uninhabited island they encountered. He later reconsidered this and decided that Balboa's knowledge of that region, which he had explored eight years before, would be of great utility. This, in addition to
11340-584: The ship; furious, he had Balboa arrested, took away all his men and was planning to lock him up in a wooden cage. He was held back from doing this by Bishop de Quevedo, who appealed to him not to abuse his power on Balboa. Luckily for Balboa, around that time the Spanish Crown would finally recognize his valuable services. The king bestowed on him the titles of " Adelantado of the South Seas" and " Gobernador of Panama and Coiba ". On top of this,
11466-617: The situation, acting as the spokesman for the disgruntled settlers. He removed Fernández de Enciso from the position of alcalde mayor , using the following legal manoeuvre: Fernández de Enciso was now controlling an area in Veragua, to the west of the Gulf of Urabá; since he was substituting for Alonso de Ojeda, his mandate was illegitimate, because the governor of Veragua was Diego de Nicuesa, not Ojeda; therefore, Fernández de Enciso should be deposed and arrested. After Fernández de Enciso's ouster ,
11592-406: The situation. Pedrarias arrived from Arbolancha, Spain with an expedition of 1,500 men and 17 ships, thereby ensuring that Balboa's requests to the crown for more men and supplies were met. This would be to that date the largest and most complete expedition to leave Spain for the New World . Pedrarias was accompanied on this expedition by Gaspar de Espinosa , who held the office of alcalde mayor ;
11718-518: The soil was more fertile and the natives presented less resistance. Fernández de Enciso gave serious consideration to this suggestion, and the regiment later went to Darién, where the native cacique (chieftain) Cémaco had 500 warriors waiting, ready for battle. The Spanish, fearing the large number of enemy combatants, made a vow to the Virgen de la Antigua , venerated in Seville , that they would name
11844-406: The spring of 1528, accompanied by Pedro de Candia, some natives and llamas, plus samples of fabric, gold and silver. Pizarro reached Seville in early summer. King Charles I , who was at Toledo , had an interview with Pizarro and heard of his expeditions in South America. The conquistador described the territory as rich in gold and silver that he and his followers had bravely explored "to extend
11970-582: The statue resides in Wisconsin. The mounted statue of Pizarro in the Plaza Mayor in Trujillo, Spain, was created by American sculptor Charles Rumsey . It was presented to the city by his widow in 1926. The statue long stood an adjacent square to Peru's Government Palace . In 2003, after years of requests for the statue to be removed, the mayor of Lima, Luis Castañeda Lossio , approved the transfer of
12096-645: The statue to another location. Since 2004, however, Pizarro's statue has been in a park surrounded by the recently restored 17th-century walls in the Rímac District . The statue faces the Rímac River and the Government Palace. After returning from Peru extremely wealthy, the Pizarro family erected a plateresque -style palace on the corner of the Plaza Mayor in Trujillo. Francisca Pizarro Yupanqui and her uncle/husband Hernando Pizarro ordered
12222-486: The territory already explored by Ruiz and, after a difficult voyage due to strong winds and currents, reached Atacames on the Ecuadorian coast. Here, they found a large native population recently brought under Inca rule. Unfortunately for the conquistadores , the people they encountered seemed so defiant and numerous that the Spanish decided not to enter the land. After much wrangling between Pizarro and Almagro, it
12348-751: The then recently founded Panama City from 1519 to 1523. The first attempt to explore western South America was undertaken in 1522 by Pascual de Andagoya . The native South Americans he encountered told him about a gold-rich territory called Virú, which was on a river called Pirú (later evolving to Perú). These reports were relayed by the Spanish-Inca mestizo writer Garcilaso de la Vega in Comentarios Reales de los Incas (1608). Andagoya eventually established contact with several Native American curacas (chiefs), some of whom he later claimed were sorcerers and witches. Having reached as far as
12474-409: The third son of Pizarro who was never legitimized, Francisco, by Dona Angelina, a wife of Atahualpa that he had taken as a mistress, died shortly after reaching Spain. After his invasion, Pizarro destroyed the Inca state and while ruling the area for almost a decade, initiated the decline of local cultures. The Incas' polytheistic religion was replaced by Christianity and much of the local population
12600-448: The three years of continuous warfare since the arrival of Pizarro, Incan military leaders had become familiar with Spanish military tactics and developed effective counters. Perhaps the most effective of these military innovations was the one that dealt with the Europeans' greatest advantage on the battlefield: horses. Incan soldiers would offer battle but hold their position until the Spaniards had concentrated their cavalry in order to break
12726-454: The title of governor came absolute authority in Santa María and all of Veragua. One of Balboa's first acts as governor was the trial of Fernández de Enciso, accused of usurping the governor's authority. Fernández de Enciso was sentenced to prison and his possessions were confiscated. He was to remain imprisoned only for a short time. Balboa set him free under the condition that he return immediately to Hispaniola and from there to Spain. With him on
12852-531: The town of Nombre de Dios , badly wounded and with few men remaining, on account of a skirmish with local natives. After his rescue, Governor Nicuesa heard about Balboa's exploits, the chieftain Cémaco's bounty, and Santa María's prosperity. He vowed that he would punish Balboa as soon as he gained control of the city, since he regarded his actions as a challenge to his authority in Veragua. A certain Lope de Olano, who
12978-618: The travellers, among them Isabel de Bobadilla, Pedrarias' wife. More than 500 men died from starvation or due to the inclemencies of the weather soon after reaching Darién. Fernández de Oviedo was to note that knights covered in silk and brocade, who distinguished themselves valiantly in the Italian Wars , would die, consumed by hunger and fever, due to the nature of the tropical jungle. Balboa received Pedrarias and his representatives in July 1514 and accepted resignedly his replacement as governor and mayor. The settlers, however, did not like
13104-417: The treasure to the king, as the law required. The accusations of Fernández de Enciso, whom Balboa had deposed, and the removal and disappearance of Governor Ojeda, forced the king to name Pedro Arias de Ávila as governor of the newly created province of Castilla de Oro . Arias, better known as Pedrarias Dávila and who would later become notorious for his cruelty, took control of Veragua and managed to calm
13230-413: The trial due to the "great agitation among the soldiers", particularly by Almagro. De Soto was on a reconnaissance mission the day of the trial and execution and upon his return expressed his dismay, stating, "he should have been taken to Castile and judged by the emperor." King Charles later wrote to Pizarro: "We have been displeased by the death of Atahualpa, since he was a monarch and particularly as it
13356-482: The very same Martín Fernández de Enciso whom Balboa had forced into exile, now as Chief Constable ( Alguacil Mayor ); the royal officer and chronicler Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés ; as well as several captains, among them Juan de Ayora, Pedrarias's lieutenant. There were also several clerics, most notably the Franciscan friar Juan de Quevedo , appointed bishop of Santa María. There were also women among
13482-586: The wealth and power displayed at Tumbes were an example of the riches of the Peruvian territory. The conquistadors decided to return to Panama to prepare the final expedition of conquest with more recruits and provisions. Before leaving, however, Pizarro and his followers sailed south along the coast to see if anything of interest could be found. Historian William H. Prescott recounts that after passing through territories they named such as Cabo Blanco, port of Payta, Sechura, Punta de Aguja, Santa Cruz and Trujillo (founded by Almagro years later), they finally reached for
13608-650: The west, governed by Diego de Nicuesa . In 1509, wishing to escape his creditors in Santo Domingo , Balboa set sail as a stowaway, hiding inside a barrel together with his dog Leoncico , in the expedition commanded by the Alcalde Mayor of Nueva Andalucía, Martín Fernández de Enciso , whose mission it was to aid Alonso de Ojeda, his superior. Ojeda, together with 70 men, had founded the settlement of San Sebastián de Urabá in Nueva Andalucía, on
13734-535: The whole province of Esmeraldas. [2] It is also easily accessible by bus from Santo Domingo, Quito, and Esmeraldas. Ethnic groups in the canton as of the Ecuadorian census of 2010: People travel from all over the world to enjoy Surfing in Ecuador . Playas beach also offers a wonderful climate all year round for Surfing . It is important to note that Sharks may be a hazard at this break. Salinas, Ecuador ,
13860-466: Was a Spanish explorer , governor , and conquistador . He is best known for crossing the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean in 1513, becoming the first European to lead an expedition to have seen or reached the Pacific from the New World . He traveled to the New World in 1500 and, after some exploration, settled on the island of Hispaniola . He founded the settlement of Santa María la Antigua del Darién in present-day Colombia in 1510, which
13986-590: Was assassinated in 1541. Francisco Pizarro was born in Trujillo, Cáceres , Spain (then in the Crown of Castile ) in modern-day Extremadura , Spain. He was the illegitimate son of infantry colonel Gonzalo Pizarro (1446–1522) and Francisca González, a woman of poor means. His date of birth is uncertain, but it is believed to be sometime in the 1470s, probably 1475. Little attention was paid to his education and he grew up illiterate. His father served in Navarre and in
14112-447: Was at La Isla Gorgona, where two of his ill men (one had died) had stayed. After at least 18 months away, Pizarro and his followers anchored off the coasts of Panama to prepare for the final expedition. When the new governor of Panama, Pedro de los Ríos, refused to allow for a third expedition to the south, the associates resolved for Pizarro to leave for Spain and appeal to the sovereign in person. Pizarro sailed from Panama for Spain in
14238-677: Was decided that Pizarro would stay at a safer place, the Isla de Gallo, near the coast, while Almagro would return to Panama with Luque for more reinforcements – this time with proof of the gold they had found and the news of the discovery of the obviously wealthy land they had explored. The new governor of Panama, Pedro de los Ríos, had learned of the mishaps of Pizarro's expeditions and the deaths of various settlers who had gone with him. Fearing an unsuccessful outcome, he rejected Almagro's application for continued resources. In addition, he ordered two ships commanded by Juan Tafur to be sent immediately with
14364-622: Was dispatched to a Peruvian garrison at Caxas. After a week, he returned with an envoy from the Inca himself, with presents and an invitation to visit the Inca ruler's camp. Following the defeat of his brother, Huáscar , in the Inca Civil War , Atahualpa had been resting in the Sierra of northern Peru, near Cajamarca , in the nearby thermal baths known today as the Inca Baths . Arriving at Cajamarca on 15 November 1532, Pizarro had
14490-459: Was done in the name of justice." Pizarro advanced with his army of 500 Spaniards toward Cuzco, accompanied by Chalcuchimac , one of the leading Inca generals of the north and a supporter of Atahualpa, who was subsequently burned at the stake. Manco Inca Yupanqui joined Pizarro after the death of Túpac Huallpa . During the exploration of Cuzco, Pizarro was impressed and through his officers wrote back to King Charles I of Spain, saying: "This city
14616-400: Was eventually defeated during the Battle of Las Salinas (1538) and executed. Almagro's son, also named Diego and known as El Mozo , was later stripped of his lands and left bankrupt by Pizarro. Atahualpa's wife, 10-year-old Cuxirimay Ocllo Yupanqui, was with Atahualpa's army in Cajamarca and had stayed with him while he was imprisoned. Following his execution, she was taken to Cuzco, given
14742-449: Was high up in the mountains and too distant from the sea to serve as the capital. Pizarro founded the city of Lima on Peru's central coast on 6 January 1535, which he considered to be one of the most important things he had created in life. By early 1536, Manco Inka, supported by an army of perhaps 100,000 people, initiated a siege of Cuzco. At the same time, smaller Incan expeditionary forces moved to destroy other European strongholds. In
14868-432: Was jailed together with other malcontents, persuaded Santa María's representatives that they would make a serious error in handing control over to Nicuesa, whom he described as cruel, greedy, and able to singlehandedly destroy the city's prosperity. With this evidence, Albites and del Corral fled to Darién ahead of Nicuesa, and informed Balboa and the municipal authorities of the governor's intentions. When Nicuesa arrived at
14994-418: Was not well liked by the men. Many disapproved of his order to return to San Sebastián, especially after discovering, once they had arrived, that the settlement had been completely destroyed and that the natives were already waiting for them, leading to a series of relentless attacks. Balboa suggested that the settlement of San Sebastián be moved to the region of Darién , to the west of the Gulf of Urabá, where
15120-444: Was now the chieftain. From there, he crossed the lands of Ponca and Careta, arriving in Santa María on January 19, 1514, with a treasure in cotton goods, more than 100,000 castellanos worth of gold, to say nothing of the pearls. All this did not compare to the magnitude of the discovery of the South Sea on behalf of Spain. Balboa commanded Pedro de Arbolancha to set sail for Spain with news of this discovery. He also sent one fifth of
15246-498: Was reduced to serfdom under the Spanish elite . The cities of the Inca Empire were transformed into Spanish Catholic cities. Pizarro is also reviled for ordering Atawallpa's death despite the ransom payment (which Pizarro kept, after paying the Spanish king his due). Some Peruvians, particularly those of indigenous descent, may regard him negatively, although until relatively recently Pizarro had been portrayed positively, for instance in textbooks, for introducing Catholicism and creating
15372-501: Was struck fatally in the throat. When he fell to the ground he reportedly drew a cross on the floor with his blood and kissed it before dying. A modern forensic examination of his remains indicated that Pizarro had been savagely attacked with multiple stab wounds to his head and neck as well as defensive wounds to his hands and arms. Pizarro's remains were briefly interred in the cathedral courtyard; at some later time, his head and body were separated and buried in separate boxes underneath
15498-449: Was the beginning of October and the weather conditions were not favorable. He was barely able to make out the islands, and named the largest one Isla Rica (Rich Island, today known as Isla del Rey ). He named the entire group Archipiélago de las Perlas , which they are still called today. In November, Balboa decided to return to Santa María but by a different route to further expand his territory and procure more gold. He passed through
15624-553: Was the first permanent European settlement on the mainland of the Americas (a settlement by Alonso de Ojeda the previous year at San Sebastián de Urabá had already been abandoned). Balboa was born in Jerez de los Caballeros , Spain . He was a descendant of the Lord mason of the castle of Balboa , on the borders of León and Galicia. His mother was the Lady de Badajoz, and his father was
15750-566: Was the site of the ISA World Junior Surfing Games Ecuador in 2009. Atacames has a busy night life, primarily because weather during the day is hot and humid. Atacames provides services for tourists all year round, but the high season are weekends, Easter, Carnival, Christmas, and some weeks in the summer. Atacames is full of discotheques, and dance clubs that play the most recent hits from different styles of music such as salsa, merengue, and reggaeton. Atacames
15876-490: Was to recruit men, gather additional supplies and join Pizarro later. The Governor of Panama, Pedro Arias Dávila , at first approved in principle the exploration of South America. Pizarro's first expedition, however, turned out to be a failure as his conquistadors, sailing down the Pacific coast, reached no farther than Colombia before succumbing to bad weather, lack of food and skirmishes with hostile natives, one of which caused Almagro to lose an eye by arrow-shot. The place names
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