Francisco Pizarro.—His Early History.—First Expedition to the South.-Distresses of the Voyagers.—Sharp Encounters.—Return to Panama.—Almagro's Expedition. (1524-1525.)

Francisco Pizarro was born at Truxillo, a city of Estremadura, in Spain. The period of his birth is uncertain; but probably it was not far from 1471. He shared in the popular enthusiasm, and availed himself of a favourable moment to abandon his ignoble charge and escape to Seville, the port where the Spanish adventurers embarked to seek their fortunes in the West Few of them could have turned their backs on their native land with less cause for regret than Pizarro. After the untimely death of his commander, Pizarro attached himself to the fortunes of Pedrarias, and was employed by that governor in several military expeditions, which, if they afforded nothing else, give him the requisite training for the perils and privations that lay in the path of the future Conqueror of Peru.