By Catharine Hamm | Los Angeles Times Travel Editor
42. Pizaro and his partner, Diego de Almagro, and a priest, Hernando de Luque sailed down the west coast of South America twice.
The first expedition went as far as modern day Colombia. The second expedition went as far the coast of Ecuador where they met a large native population that had recently come under Incan rule. The group was extremely hostile; making the Spanish change their plans about coming ashore to exploit the area. However it is this initial contact, that brought the smallpox virus to the region which would set a chain of events into action that left the empire as easy prey to the Spanish upon their return.
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