Chapter I: Preface

The history of a continent such as South America, confined to the limits of a single volume of moderate size, must of necessity contain some elements of mere survey. Nevertheless, since in no other but a condensed form could the respective strides achieved by the various nations of this continent be satisfactorily judged and compared, the author is encouraged to hope that this small work may fill in one of the most obvious of the many gaps in the English versions of South American history. He has endeavoured to lay stress on the trend of the authorities and peoples in question rather than to emphasize the rigid succession of Governors and Presidents. In the same way, since space has had to be considered, it was thought desirable to introduce at any length only those personalities notable for their actions and intrinsic influence, leaving in the background those others whose only claim to the interest of posterity lies in the weight of the office they held.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. THE CONTINENT IN PRE-SPANISH DAYS 1

II. COLUMBUS 14

III. THE SPANISH CONQUISTADORES 26

IV. THE DISCOVERY AND EARLY HISTORY OF BRAZIL 36

V. THE CONQUEST OF PERU 47

VI. SPANIARD AND NATIVE 56

VII. THE COLONIZATION OF THE SOUTH 64

VIII. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN COLONIES 74

IX. FOREIGN RAIDS ON THE SPANISH COLONIES 83

X. FOREIGN RAIDS ON PORTUGUESE COLONIES 95

XI. THE COLONY OF PERU 110

XII. THE COLONY OF CHILE 121

XIII. THE COLONIES OF PARAGUAY AND THE RIVER PLATE 130

XIV. THE NORTHERN COLONIES 142

XV. THE LAST DAYS OF EMPIRE 151

XVI. THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE--I 159

XVII. THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE--II 176

XVIII. BRAZIL: FROM COLONY TO EMPIRE 185

XIX. THE EMPIRE OF BRAZIL 201

XX. FROM EMPIRE TO REPUBLIC 211

XXI. MODERN BRAZIL 220

XXII. THE INDEPENDENCE OF SPANISH AMERICA 228

XXIII. THE REPUBLIC OF PERU 237

XXIV. THE REPUBLIC OF PARAGUAY 245

XXV. THE PARAGUAYAN WAR 255

XXVI. THE REPUBLIC OF CHILE 264

XXVII. THE REPUBLICS OF THE RIVER PLATE 272

XXVIII. THE NORTHERN REPUBLICS 283

INDEX 295

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PRINTED SEPARATELY FROM THE TEXT.

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS _Frontispiece_

TO FACE PAGE

MANCO-CAPAC COLLECTING HIS PEOPLE FOR THE WORK OF BUILDING THE CITY OF CUZCO 5

DIEGO DE ALMAGRO 12

JORGE CABRAL 16

COLUMBUS LANDING IN AMERICA 37

VASCO DA GAMA 44

THE DEFEAT OF THE PERUVIANS OUTSIDE CUZCO 49

PIZARRO AND ATAHUALPA 53

DEATH OF ATAHUALPA 60

ATAHUALPA 65

SUGAR-MAKING 69

BARTOLOME DE LAS CASAS 76

FRANCISCO PIZARRO 80

SECTIONS OF A SLAVE-SHIP 85

OLINDA DE PERNAMBUCO 92

FERDINAND MAGELLAN 101

DUTCH VESSELS SAILING THROUGH THE STRAITS OF MAGELLAN 108

DUTCH AND SPANISH VESSELS ENGAGED OFF CALLAO 116

ACAPULCO 125

AN ISLAND PASSAGE OF THE RIVER AMAZON 144

POTOSI 149

BRITISH WARSHIPS UNDER ANSON'S COMMAND PLUNDERING PAYTA 156

SIMON BOLIVAR 164

DON FRANCISCO SOLANO LOPEZ 173

PEDRO I., EMPEROR OF BRAZIL 193

THE OPENING OF THE SENATE HOUSE, RIO DE JANEIRO 196

PALACE AND GREAT SQUARE IN RIO DE JANEIRO 205

PEDRO II., EMPEROR OF BRAZIL 208

THOMAS, TENTH EARL OF DUNDONALD, G.C.B. 261

BERNARDO O'HIGGINS 268

STATUE OF GENERAL MANUEL BELGRANO 277

BRIGADIER-GENERAL BARTOLOME MITRE 284

PRINTED IN THE TEXT.

PAGE

MAP OF SOUTH AMERICA, SHOWING THE DISTRICTS OF THE ABORIGINAL TRIBES AT THE TIME OF THE SPANISH CONQUEST 9

A PERUVIAN CASSE-TETE AND A PIPE OF PEACE 50

THE TEMPLE OF THE SUN, CUZCO 53

INDIAN HUTS ON THE RIVER CHIPURANA 54

THE STRAITS OF MAGELLAN, AS KNOWN AT THE TIME OF CORDOVA'S VOYAGE 91

PEASANTS OF ST. MICHAEL PROCEEDING TO DEL GADO 158

ARMS OF THE EMPIRE OF BRAZIL 192

ARMS OF UNITED KINGDOMS OF PORTUGAL, THE ALGARVES, AND BRAZIL 192

CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, RIO DE JANEIRO 197

SKETCH-MAP OF SOUTH AMERICA 293

SOUTH AMERICA