departure of vasco nu?ez from antigua—careta's welcome—difficulties to be encountered—treacherous character of the country—historical bloodhounds—ponca reconciled—capture of quarequá—first view of the pacific from the heights of quarequá—the spaniards descend to chiapes—take formal possession of the south sea—form of taking possession—the names south sea and pacific ocean—further discoveries—perilous canoe voyage—gold and pearls in profusion—tumaco pacified—the pearl islands—the return—teoca's kindness—ponca murdered—pocorosa pacified—tubanamá vanquished—gold, gold, gold—panciaco's congratulations—arrival at antigua.
revolving matters in his mind, plans quickly unfolded. winning for the project a few staunch friends, vasco nu?ez selected with great care one hundred and ninety men.[ix-1] more could have been taken, but he had determined on a rapid march of discovery rather than pacification and occupation. hence he preferred only tried men, those inured to fatigue, men resolute and reckless, with heart and head hard, and sinews of steel. he also provided from among his captives and the neighboring nations one thousand natives, to serve as warriors and beasts of burden. these, might live or die, as it should happen: no great matter what became of them. a pack of bloodhounds completed the company.
embarkation of the expedition.
the men were armed with crossbows, swords, arquebuses and targets, and provisions for the expedition were placed on board a brigantine and ten large 359 canoes. before embarking, the hazardous nature of the enterprise was made known to the soldiers. wealth and glory awaited success; the reward of failure, death; opportunity was then offered for any one to withdraw without prejudice or injury.
sailing with his little armament from antigua on the first day of september, 1513, vasco nu?ez de balboa followed the coast of darien north-westward to careta's province, where the expedition disembarked on the fourth day. the chieftain's dusky daughter, whom the governor continued to regard with great affection, was still a bond of friendship between this nation and the spaniards. careta added to their stock of provisions and furnished them with guides; and some of his warriors joined the expedition, in the hope of witnessing the downfall of their enemies beyond the mountains. the boats were left in charge of a guard; and after invoking divine favor the expedition was ready to move.
i know the tendency of the historian, warmed by his theme, to magnify merit, and the obstacles it overcomes; and i have elsewhere said as much. while i endeavor to confine myself to the plain words of a simple story, those who have sat at ease, sipping iced champagne, during a delightful ride of three or four hours across this sometime terrible neck, may find in this chapter expressions appearing strong. but i do assure the reader that it is difficult to magnify in the present instance. vasco nu?ez now stood on the northern coast, opposite the gulf of san miguel, which, breaking the shore of panamá bay, narrows the isthmus of darien to a width of fifty miles.[ix-2] but 360 such is the infamous character of the country, that even modern efforts to penetrate the unexplored interior from either side have met disaster and ruin.[ix-3] 361 inaccessible forests filled with noxious reptiles and wild beasts, tangled jungles through which man must cut his way foot by foot; rugged mountains, slippery slopes, and rocky precipices, over and round which the weary traveller threads his way under a blooming tropical canopy; frequent and sudden rains and inundations; treacherous morasses, and the malarious exhalations from putrid vegetation, unite with warlike savages to render this spot one of the most difficult on the globe to explore. add to these obstructions the weight of heavy armor and cumbrous weapons, and some conception may be formed of a military march through an equatorial wilderness.
quality of the band.
no wonder vasco nu?ez scrutinized his company before starting. "i beg your very royal highness," he had written before this to the king, "to give me men from espa?ola; for such as come from castile are for my purpose worthless, bringing loss not only on themselves but others."[ix-4] born amidst the clash of arms in chivalrous spain, broken to adversity at espa?ola, and many of them toughened at santa marta, veragua, and antigua, the present band mustered the survivors of daring expeditions whose bones strewed the shores of tierra firme.
map of isthmus of darien
the spaniards began their march on the 6th of september. the second day brought them to the lands of ponca, who having been warned of their approach had retired from the path.[ix-5] but other thoughts than 362 those of plunder and petty warfare now filled the mind of vasco nu?ez; and, preferring to leave no enemy in his rear, while resting in the cacique's comfortable quarters he made overtures of friendship to the chief, who straightway returned from his hiding, and gave gold, together with valuable information concerning the southern sea and the route thither in return for beads, mirrors, hawk-bells, and axes. for none knew better than the courteous governor how to kindle friendship in the savage breast, and make it profitable. the gold which ponca gave consisted of finely wrought ornaments from beyond the mountains, and ten pounds of the metal from his own mines. he described a certain summit from which this 363 southern sea might easily be seen, gave information of the nations to be encountered by the spaniards, and furnished them with guides for the secret passes.
roused by this encouragement, and leaving here the sick and wayworn, the spaniards were on their southward march again the 20th of september. between the several provinces were no beaten paths, across the rivers no bridges; so great were the impediments to their progress, and so much more time was consumed than had been anticipated, that food began to fail.
making their way amid these difficulties, they came to the foot of the high mountains where terminated their pacified territory, and where they must prepare to dispute the way with native sovereigns of the soil. ascending the mountains, they encountered on the 24th a cacique named porque, lord of the province of quarequá, the ruler of these parts, whose arrogance, fed by his successes, had kept full pace with them. at the head of a thousand warriors, porque appeared before vasco nu?ez, demanded the object of his visit, and threatened to kill every man who should put foot within his dominions. the spaniards nevertheless continued slowly to advance, keeping well together. amazed at their temerity, and indignant at the seeming indifference to his threat, porque swept down upon them with flourish of weapons and terrific yells, confident of easy victory. but as well might he have spent his unleavened force against the eternal hills.
waiting until the whole swarm was well within reach, vasco nu?ez gave the order to charge. shouting the inspiriting war-cry, santiago, y á ellos! the spaniards sprang upon them. the fire-arms were discharged, the bloodhounds[ix-6] let loose, and striking the 364 cruel steel into the naked bodies of the enemy, he was literally hewn in pieces. vainly, in wild confusion, the savages struggled to escape; the flash of fire, the thundering noise, the sulphurous smoke, bereft them of their senses, making easy work for the sharp iron which entered unresisted their vitals, until six hundred lay dead upon the ground, porque among the number. many prisoners were taken; the survivors escaped to the hills. in the village of quarequá was found much needed food, and some gold. so toilsome had been the march that eighteen days had passed since leaving careta's town. and here vasco nu?ez rested for the night, nursing his wounded, and cheering the sick and down-hearted. the guides whom ponca had furnished, and who had proved of incalculable service to the explorers, were dismissed to their home with presents, and with hearts made glad by the destruction of porque. so rolls round the planet inexorable nature, detested death giving hourly joy to universal life.
first view of the south sea.
the 25th[ix-7] of september, 1513, a day ever memorable in the annals of the pacific states, dawned brightly over the sierra of quarequá. the village in which the spaniards had made their quarters was situated on an elevated plateau, and near it rose the reputed mountain whose summit had for ages gazed 365 on the mysterious southern sea. at an early hour vasco nu?ez was astir, to prepare with thrilling anticipations for the ascent. but sixty-seven, out of the one hundred and ninety spaniards who within the month had embarked upon this enterprise at antigua, possessed sufficient strength for the present effort. departing from the town, their way at first lay through a tangled forest, which fringed the mountain base, and whose dense foliage hid from view the more distant objects. as they mounted upward into a cooler, drier atmosphere, the vegetation became more stunted, yet the undergrowth was still so thick that the soldiers had to cut a passage with their sabres. emerging at length into an open space near 366 the summit, a bare eminence was pointed out by the guides, whence the view was said to be unobstructed, and the sea distinctly visible.
viewed prosaically, there was nothing astounding in ascending a hill and taking a look at the ocean. it had been often done elsewhere; it had been often done here. nor was there any peculiar difference between sea and land here and sea and land elsewhere. but there was that to the minds of the impetuous and impressible spaniards, there is that to our own minds, in first things and first views of things, our first view, our country's first awakening, that stirs the soul and sets faster beating the heart. reduced to words, the sentiment is the pleasure the mind derives from improving surprises; it is the joy of development, the ecstasy of evolution.
if such be commonly the case, how much more reason had vasco nu?ez de balboa to be impassioned on this occasion. behind him was ignominy, perhaps chains and death; before him was glory, immortal fame. and it was meet in him that this ordinarily trivial act should be consummated with a ceremony becoming to one of civilization's great achievements.
ordering a halt, vasco nu?ez advanced alone. his should be the first european eye to behold what there was to behold, and that without peradventure. with throbbing heart he mounted the topmost eminence which crowned these sea-dividing hills. then, as in the lifting of a veil, a scene of primeval splendor burst on his enraptured gaze, such as might fill with joy an archangel sent to explore a new creation. there it lay, that boundless unknown sea, spread out before him, far as the eye could reach, in calm, majestic beauty, glittering like liquid crystal in the morning sun. beneath his feet, in furrowed prospect, were terraces of living green, sportive with iridescent light and shade; waving plains and feathered steeps white-lined with flowing waters, here dashing boisterously down the hill-side, yonder winding silent through the 367 sighing foliage to the all-receiving sea. in that first illimitable glance time stood back, the mists lifted, and eternity was there. what wonder if to this spanish cavalier, in that moment of triumphant joy, visions of the mighty future appeared pictured on the cerulean heights, visions of populous cities, of fleets and armies, of lands teeming with wealth and industry. and to spain should all these blessings and advantages accrue; to spain through him.
speech of vasco nu?ez.
dropping on his knees, he poured forth praise and thanksgiving to the author of that glorious creation for the honor of its discovery. the soldiers then pressed forward, gazed enchanted likewise, and likewise assumed the attitude of prayer; for however ungodly were their lives, these cavaliers were always fond of praying.
"there, my friends," exclaimed balboa, rising and pointing to the prospect before him, "there is the realization of your hopes, the reward of your labors. you are the first christians to look upon that sea, or to tread its luxuriant shores. the words of the chivalrous panciaco concerning the southern sea are more than verified; please god so may we find them regarding the riches of its shore. all are yours, i say, yours the glory of laying this celestial realm at your sovereign's feet; yours the privilege of bringing to the only vile thing in it the cleansing properties of our holy faith. continue, then, true to me, and i promise you honor and wealth to your fullest desire." a shout of approbation, such as the rabble are ever ready with before success, was followed by pledges of fidelity and fair service, to be broken upon the first occasion. and if we may believe old peter martyr, who enjoyed this triumph of progress almost as much as the discoverers themselves, hannibal from the summit of the alps, pointing to his soldiers the delicious fields of italy, displayed no grander conception of his high achievements, past and future, than did balboa at this moment. a cross was erected, round 368 which stones were heaped; the trees were blazoned with the sovereign's name; the te deum laudamus and te dominum confitemur was solemnly chanted by the company; after which balboa in a loud voice called on all present to witness that he then and thereby, for and in the name of the sovereigns of spain, took possession of this southern sea, with all its islands and firm lands, and all shores washed by its waters. the notary was ordered to draw up a certificate in accordance, to which each present affixed his name.[ix-8]
because the strangers seemed to delight in it, the savages assisted in the cross-raising and in carrying stones, though they saw nothing in the surroundings to become so excited about. meanwhile the spaniards 369 wondered how far the water extended, what nations inhabited its borders, what the commerce and religion of those nations, and what would be the effect of the discovery on spain, on the world, on their own fortunes.
chiapes and the spaniards.
descending the mountains on its seaward side they were met by a cacique, called like his province, chiapes, who ordered them back if they sought not death. the policy of vasco nu?ez here was peace. hostile entanglements at this juncture he knew would sooner or later result in the destruction of his party. it must be a peace, however, based on fear and respect, seldom to be achieved among savages except by slaughter. overtures of friendship were accordingly instituted by a sudden and vigorous onslaught with fire-arms, cross-bows, and bloodhounds, during which chiapes took to his heels, midst thunder, smoke, and consternation; in consequence of which he was all the more happy when the men of quarequá sought him out, and told him that these supernatural visitors who held the elements at their command were easily propitiated with gold. tremblingly he appeared and laid at the feet of vasco nu?ez five hundred pounds of the metal, glad that the favor of the gods might be bought so cheaply. the quarequá guides were now dismissed with presents, and by them orders were sent the spaniards resting at their town to follow the advance party.
the object of vasco nu?ez was to approach the verge of the ocean and touch the water he had seen. for this purpose he despatched, in different directions, three parties of twelve men each, under francisco pizarro, alonso martin de don benito, and juan de escaray to search an opening to the seaside through the dense foliage that concealed it. it is not a little singular that two days should elapse, and that the explorers suffered severely for want of water before any one could find the beach, though they were all the time so near it. 370 alonso martin's party came first to an inlet, on the shore of which were two canoes, the open bay being still hidden. desirous of being first in something, however small, martin sprang into one of the boats which was barely floating on the incoming tide, and cried to his companions, who had thrown themselves down under the cooling leaves—"i call on you all to witness that i am the first spaniard to sail upon these waters." "and i the second," exclaimed another, rushing for the other boat.[ix-9] returning to chiapes, martin reported to vasco nu?ez, who immediately began preparations to take more formal possession of the southern sea.
taking possession.
on the 29th of september, st michael's day, vasco nu?ez with twenty-six men set out for the border of the sea, accompanied by chiapes with a numerous train. arriving there they found the tide out, and seated themselves upon a grassy slope beneath the overhanging foliage, waiting the return of the waters. presently, when the sand was covered to the depth of one or two feet, all arose, and vasco nu?ez, armed and armored cap-a-pie, drew his sword and, taking from the hand of an attendant a banner, on one side of which were pictured the virgin and child and on the other the arms of castile and leon, marched into the water, and waving aloft his banner cried in a loud voice: "long live the high and powerful monarchs don fernando and do?a juana, sovereigns of castile, and of leon, and of aragon, in whose name, and for the royal crown of castile, i take and seize real and corporeal actual possession of these seas and lands, and coasts and ports and islands of the south, with all thereto annexed; and kingdoms and provinces which belong to them, or which may hereafter belong to them, in whatever manner and by whatever right and title acquired, now existing or which may exist, ancient and modern, in times past and present and to 371 come, without any contradiction. and if any other prince or captain, christian or infidel, of whatever law or sect or condition he may be, pretends any right to these lands and seas, i am ready and prepared to contradict him, and to defend them in the names of the present and future sovereigns of castile, who are the lords paramount in these indies, islands and firm land, northern and southern, with their seas, as well in the arctic pole as in the antarctic, on either side of the equinoctial line, within or without the tropics of cancer and capricorn, according to what more completely to their majesties and their successors belongs and is due, for the whole and any part thereof; as i protest in writing shall or may be more fully specified and alleged on behalf of their royal patrimony; now and in all time while the earth revolves, and until the universal judgment of all mankind."[ix-10] to which grandiloquent 372 harangue there came no reply; no armed poseidon appeared to dispute possession; only the mighty ocean dashed from its face the blinding glare of this new doctrine, heaved its bosom in long glassy swells, and gently growled its perplexity to the sympathizing beach.
the name pacific ocean.
the followers of vasco nu?ez, however, even if all did not comprehend better than the sea what their 373 leader had said, swore with loud acclamations to defend the claim of the sovereign who would thereby have so much more land to bestow, and to follow their gallant leader to the riches and honor he had so freely promised them. andrés de valderrábano, the notary of the expedition, was then called upon to draw up a certificate of the act of taking possession, to which all present subscribed their names. this being the day of st michael,[ix-11] the archangel, the gulf before them was called el golfo de san miguel, which name it bears to this day. tasting the water they found it salt, which proved it a true ocean sea that they had found; then they cut crosses on the trees in honor of the holy trinity, and with longings satisfied and hearts singing their high hopes, the party returned to chiapes, richer, according to their pretensions, by one pacific ocean,[ix-12] ten thousand 374 islands, and twenty-five hundred leagues of continental seaboard.
the grand event being so happily consummated, the spaniards thought that, before returning to antigua, they might indulge in a little exploration. luckily the powerful chiapes was not only their friend, but he could furnish them a goodly list of enemies having an abundance of gold and pearls. under his direction they crossed a large river, fell upon a chieftain called cocura, and returned to chiapes with six hundred and fifty pesos. then they decided to explore an arm of the gulf, which involved a short but dangerous canoe voyage. in vain chiapes protested against the project. "our god will protect us," replied the devout vasco nu?ez, as with eighty spaniards, and a dusky band under chiapes, he stepped into the canoes, the 17th of october. soon they found themselves in a sea so tempestuous that they were glad to escape upon an island whose uncertain soil threatened every moment to dissolve beneath their feet. there they remained up to their waists in water all that night. fortunately before morning the waters of the gulf 375 subsided, else the discoverers of the pacific ocean never would have returned to tell their tale. daybreak presented a dismal spectacle. some of the canoes were split, others embedded in the sand; and all the provisions and clothing had been swept away. but to such hardships these men were inured. since leaving spain they had lived chiefly on maize bread, wild herbs, fruit, roots, sometimes fish, seldom meat. this was their best diet. in times of scarcity, which were frequent, they were glad to get reptiles, insects, or anything that would sustain life. they had no salt; and their only drink was river water, frequently putrid and unwholesome. yet while life lasted, the brain worked inexhaustible resources. in the present emergency, for example, when both sea and land proved treacherous, they by no means yielded to despair. stripping the glutinous bark from certain young trees which they found, they bruised it with stones, added to it fibrous sea-plants reduced in like manner, and, after binding their broken boats firmly with cords, they calked the seams with the mixture. again they committed themselves to the mercy of the sea, and after two days of hazardous navigation, half naked and half starved, they ran into a small creek which flowed through a province called chitarraga, and landed about midnight near an indian village governed by a cacique named tumaco.[ix-13]
pearl gathering.
carrying the village, though not without resistance, vasco nu?ez, as usual, sought the friendship of the fleeing tumaco, who was induced to return, bringing gold valued at six hundred and fourteen pesos, and a basin of pearls, two hundred and forty of which were of extraordinary size. this was indeed something worthy of an oriental india, thought the spaniards, as their hearts danced enraptured over the beautiful baubles. tumaco could not understand what power 376 his gift possessed that it should so charm these heavenly strangers. to him the oyster which he could eat was seemingly worth more than the pearl which he could not eat; for in roasting the bivalve he had spoilt pearls enough to make him rich in the eyes of any potentate in christendom. when once he knew that pearls were wealth, tumaco became eager to show the spaniards how much he had at his command, and set his men to fish; and in four days they returned with twelve marks' weight, or ninety-six ounces of pearls. six spaniards accompanied them to see whence came the gems, and they showed the natives how to open oysters without heat, which discolored the pearl. likewise gold hereabout was plentiful and lightly esteemed.
vasco nu?ez endeavored to gain all the information possible concerning the nature and extent of the sea-coast. he was told by tumaco that the ocean and the mainland extended southward without end; that far distant in that direction dwelt a great nation whose riches were immense, who navigated the ocean in ships, and employed beasts of burden. in order the better to describe these animals, tumaco moulded in clay a figure of the llama, which seemed to the eyes of the spaniards a species of camel. "and this," says herrera, "was the second intimation vasco nu?ez had of peru, and of its wealth." nor did francisco pizarro, who was present, fail to hold these things in remembrance.
balboa now felt his mission accomplished. had the new sea and its border been made for him it could not have pleased him better. columbus had found a new continent; he had found a new sea; and wealth on this south side seemed illimitable. but before returning he deemed it prudent to supplement his deed of possession by the enactment of that ceremonial on the shore of the main ocean, for his exploits had hitherto been confined to the gulf of san miguel. 377 applying to tumaco for the requisite means, an immense canoe was produced, the barge of state, with oarsmen, and oars inlaid with aljófar, an inferior kind of pearl; and vasco nu?ez called on the notary to write it down, that boats on this southern sea were propelled by oars inlaid with pearl, so that his sovereigns might thereby place a greater value on it and on his own great services.
in pursuance of this plan, on the 29th of october, the spaniards embarked in tumaco's barge, and, proceeding to the shore of the main ocean, landed near an island called by the natives crucraga, but to which vasco nu?ez gave the name of san simon. here with banner and buckler, with drawn sword and high-sounding declamation, and amidst the lordly waves which had rolled their unimpeded course from far beyond the ever lifting horizon, the vaunting cavalier again affirmed ownership, swearing to defend he knew not what against he knew not whom; but "herein," according to herrera, "he used all the formalities that could be imagined, for he was brave, subtle, diligent, and of a generous temper, a commander fit for mighty enterprises."
as they were about to depart, the men of chitarraga directed the attention of balboa to a group of small low islands rising from the sea five leagues distant. a powerful chieftain governed there, who, crossing to the mainland, made fearful havoc among the seaboard villages; and would the spaniards please go and kill him, for at the largest island, toe, were the most beautiful pearls in all that region. the spaniards would go there or elsewhere for pearls and gold if they only had the time, and a favorable sea, but vasco nu?ez would not permit himself to be led away into further fascinations on this visit. he nevertheless gave names to the islands, calling the largest isla rica, and the group islas de las perlas,[ix-14] 378 or pearl islands, assuring tumaco, meanwhile, that he would return some day and avenge him his injuries.
the return.
once more back at chitarraga, vasco nu?ez made ready his departure for antigua. he proposed to cross the mountains by a different route from that by which he came. the sick and disabled he would leave with chiapes, now the firm friend of the spaniards, who were to kill his enemies and not him. this chieftain and a son of tumaco asked permission to accompany the party as far as teaochoan, an adjoining province. accordingly, on the 3d of november, they embarked in canoes, and guided by the young cacique of chitarraga, proceeded to the upper end of the gulf and entered a large river,[ix-15] so inconstant as to overflow its banks in places, narrowing elsewhere between rocky confines, and rushing forward tumultuously under the overhanging foliage to the sea. by and by the youthful chieftain brought the boats to land. disembarking, the spaniards pacified the province in their usual way, the ruler, teoca, chief of teaochoan, being glad to save his life by paying one hundred and sixty ounces of gold and two hundred large pearls. indeed, so effectually had vasco nu?ez succeeded, by a judicious use of fire-arms and fair words, and some trifling presents, in winning the affections of the south sea savages, that in taking leave of chiapes and the chitarraga youth at teoca's town, they wept. it was indeed affecting; and soon teoca, although the last to be robbed, caught himself paying the strangers the same briny tribute of his esteem.
after three days of rest the party proceeded, and reaching the base of the mountains they began to scale 379 them. a supply of dried fish and maize, with men of burden and guides, had been secured, and they were accompanied by teoca's son, who had instructions to attend to all requirements of the strangers, and not to leave them without the permission of their commander. it was well for the company that they had a leader thoughtful and efficient; that instead of zealous guides, and willing men to bear the burdens, there were not lurking foes or treacherous friends with whom to deal—not one of them otherwise would have reached antigua. for, toiling up the steep ascent under a burning sun, they soon found themselves without water, the springs upon which they had depended having failed. one by one the men yielded their strength and threw themselves upon the ground, victims of despair. teoca's son assisted and encouraged them, and finally brought them all in safety to a cool, sequestered valley where were life-restoring waters.
infamous act of balboa.
was it their way of giving thanks for the late escape from death, now to plan the death of others? while resting in the refreshing shade, balboa asked his guide about a certain poncra, a hideous despot, as rich as he was repulsive, of whom he had heard much. "we are now within his lands," the young chief replied. "over the brow of yonder hill is situated his village." then was detailed a story of this man's wickedness which sent a thrill of pleasing horror to the heart of every spaniard present. instantly all was excitement; and those so lately the readiest to faint were now the readiest to fight. marching forward they entered the village only to find the vulture flown. finely wrought gold to the value of three thousand pesos was found there to reconcile them to his absence. scouts soon discovered his retreat, however, and partly by threats and partly by promises of safety, this lump of deformity was induced to give himself up with three of his principal men. no sooner was it known that the hated poncra was prisoner in the hands of the spaniards, than the neighboring 380 chieftains flocked in and begged his extermination. "whence came your gold?" demanded balboa of the unhappy man. "i know not," replied poncra. "my forefathers left it me. we place no value on the unwrought metal." although torture was applied, nothing further could be elicited. the bystanders clamored loudly for his death, charging him with infamous crimes, revolting to humanity. in an evil moment vasco nu?ez yielded. the bloodhounds were let loose, and loud acclamations rent the air as the quivering flesh was torn from the limbs of the four unfortunate wretches, and they were made, as ogilby says, "a breakfast to the spanish doggs." vasco nu?ez de balboa gained the approval of the crowd; but throughout all time, wherever the name of the illustrious discoverer of the southern sea is spoken, this infamous act of treachery shall stain it. the praises of the savages, however, were profuse; "and there he remained thirty days," says gomara, "receiving and ruling like a king." and very prettily balboa commemorates his outrage by calling the place todos los santos.
while resting here, the spaniards were joined by the comrades who had been left at chiapes. throughout all this region the strangers were treated as invincible and superhuman. passing through the domain of a chief named bononiama, they were not only received as friends, coming as they did from chiapes, but were presented with gold to the value of two thousand pesos, and the chief accompanied them to poncra's village, that he might behold the wonderful leader of these wonderful men. poncra's successor came forward in answer to overtures of peace; and on the first of december the spaniards continued their journey, weighted down with spoils. five days brought them to a small depopulated town whose chief, buquebuca, had fled because he had not the means, he said, fitly to entertain such illustrious visitors. he was permitted to purchase their favor by 381 delivering up the gold in his possession, including some finely wrought plates.
balboa among the caciques.
following a path northward from buquebuca's they were hailed from a cliff near by. "our king chioriso sends greeting, o mighty men! and presents this offering, begging your assistance in vanquishing an enemy too powerful for him." the gift was certainly persuasive, being no less than thirty large gold medals or plates worth fourteen thousand pesos. balboa scarcely knew what to do, nevertheless he graciously received it, and sent in return three axes, some gilt beads, and several pieces of leather and cloth, making the recipient to his own thinking the richest potentate in savagedom. balboa furthermore promised to assist him at some future time in his wars. the country through which they were now passing was exceptionally rugged, and the men of burden were quite exhausted when on the 13th of december they arrived at the village of pocorosa. several of the soldiers had also fallen seriously ill from fatigue, and it was accordingly decided to tarry here for thirty days. the chief, as usual, had fled at their approach, but was brought back to purchase friendship of the spaniards with slaves and gold.
pocorosa informed the spaniards that not far from there[ix-16] lived the famous tubanamá, of whom panciaco had spoken when first directing the attention of the spaniards to the south sea. he was reputed the richest as well as the strongest chieftain of these mountains, and was the terror of the neighboring nations. balboa felt it more than ever his duty to overthrow tubanamá, kill some of his men, steal a few of his women, and relieve him of his gold. but to do this he must have a thousand soldiers, so he 382 had been told. casting his eye over his little band of bruised and wayworn men, he thought how one mistake might swallow all his past successes, and sighed; then he slept on it, and when after a few days' rest the question was adventured, enough were eager for the raid. the result was that seventy spaniards, and a squad of pocorosa's warriors, after a rapid march, fell on tubanamá about midnight and brought him away prisoner, ogilby says with eighty concubines. the men of pocorosa, and chiefs of adjoining tribes, began to revile him, and begged of vasco nu?ez his immediate death. he had done worse things than poncra, they said, and had beside spoken ill of the spaniards, threatening to drag them to death by the hair of their head if ever they came within his reach. vasco nu?ez pondered. for some time past he had entertained a plan of establishing in this vicinity a military post for the protection of commerce between the seas, and also of gold-mining. was it better to kill this chief as an enemy, or let him live as a friend, and assist to keep the others friendly? he chose the latter course. but first he must temper the proposed friendship by trial. "infamous tyrant," he thundered at the trembling prisoner, "now shalt thou suffer for thine abominations. thou shalt be made to feel the power of the christians, and the same doom which thou before thy naked slaves didst promise them, shall now be meted thee." he then motioned the attendants as if to remove him for execution. the unhappy cacique denied the accusations and begged for his life. balboa apparently overcome by his entreaties slowly relented, and finally ordered the captive released. the overjoyed chieftain could not do enough for his deliverer. he stripped his women of their ornaments, and, collecting all articles within his reach fabricated of the coveted metal, presented the spaniards with thirty marks of gold, and his subjects soon brought in sixty marks more. enjoining tubanamá to gather gold, and ever 383 remain true to the spaniards, balboa returned in triumph to pocorosa's town, with a long train of enslaved captives. about this time vasco nu?ez fell sick; and no wonder when we consider the strain on mind and body during the past four months. first in every action, bearing exposure and privation in common with the poorest soldier, with the responsibility of the adventure resting wholly on him, he was a fit subject for fever. but his indomitable spirit never forsook him, and causing himself to be carried on a litter he still directed movements, as they resumed their march.
weary, ragged, but exultant, the party at length reached the village of comagre. panciaco was overjoyed to see them. the old chief was dead, and the young man filled his father's place. he could not do enough for vasco nu?ez, for whom his affection seemed to grow in proportion as he was permitted to do him service. panciaco had given the strangers gold and slaves; he had entertained them royally, had told them of the southern sea and the way to reach it, all his words proving true. now he was permitted to entertain and nurse the emaciated spaniards, and this he did with lavish generosity, watching vasco nu?ez through his sickness with the affection of a brother. he was permitted to give them more gold, and did so. the spaniards graciously received these benefits; and in return for obligations too vast for requital, the generous cavalier, the chivalrous discoverer of the great south sea, gave his friend and benefactor a linen shirt and some worthless trinkets. his parting words were "gather and send me more gold, panciaco." the chief, however, before the party left, had embraced christianity and received baptism.
arrival at antigua.
it was the 14th of january that the party left comagre. a short and easy march brought them to poncra's village, where fortune wreathed in smiles still attended the commander, now free from illness and loaded with gold. vasco nu?ez here was met 384 by four spaniards from antigua who had come to report the arrival of two vessels from espa?ola with provisions and reinforcements. leaving the greater part of his company to follow at their leisure, balboa with twenty men pressed forward, and after a hearty greeting from careta at his village, embarked in the brigantine which there awaited him, and arrived the 19th of january, 1514.
his entry into the settlement was a triumph. all the people came to welcome him, and he was conducted to the public square midst loud acclaims. and when he told them of his successes, of the wealth-bound sea, and the treasures he had obtained, they were wild with exultation. beside gold, to the value of more than forty thousand pesos,[ix-17] the spaniards had brought eight hundred indian slaves, and a large quantity of pearls, cotton cloth, and indian weapons. all the nations on the route, both in going and in coming, had been subjugated without the loss of a battle and without the loss of a man. thus terminated one of the grandest and most successful achievements of the spaniards in the new world.
the remainder of the company soon arrived, and the spoils were thereupon distributed in equitable allotments, wherein also those participated who had remained at home. beside the royal share, two hundred of the largest and most beautiful pearls were set apart by vasco nu?ez and his companions as a present for the king, and one of their number, pedro de arbolancha, an intelligent man and trusty friend of the governor, was chosen as envoy to proceed immediately to spain and proclaim this important discovery. by him vasco nu?ez sent the sovereign a letter detailing his brilliant achievement, and requesting the royal appointment as governor of the region by 385 him discovered, with the means to prosecute further adventures on that coast. "and in all his long letter," says peter martyr, "there is not a single leaf written which does not contain thanks to almighty god for delivery from perils, and preservation from many imminent dangers." this letter was dated at antigua the 4th of march, and a few days after arbolancha took his departure.
prosperity of the colony.
meanwhile balboa was unremitting in his efforts to advance the prosperity of the growing colony. having so long suffered the miseries and inconvenience of a meagre supply of food, particular attention was turned to agriculture. indian corn was produced in great quantities, and seeds of various kinds from spain were planted, yielding fruit in abundance. society became more settled and factions were at rest; for who could stand before vasco nu?ez? memories of home bloomed anew. old-time amusements were again enjoyed; national holidays were regarded, and jousts and tournaments were held, if not with as rich display as formerly, yet with heartiness and merrymaking. two of the pacified caciques became discontented and rebelled, but were soon quieted by a few men under diego hurtado. another captain, andrés garabito, was sent to explore the country for the shortest and best route between the seas. peace everywhere reigned; and with a profusion of food and gold already in store, with high anticipations regarding the future; with wealth, and dominion, and honor, and brilliant hopes, and multitudes of heathen for slaves, ought not these pirates to have been supremely happy?
