Palo Alto, Texas. 26N. 97W. Defeat of Mexicans by Americans, 1846.
Paltos, Desert of, north of Caxas. Crossed by Blasco Nunez pursued by Gonzalo Pizarro, 1545. (See Prescott, 'Peru,' op. cit.)
[Pamlico Sound], U.S. 35N. 76W. Discovered by Amadas and Barlow sent by Raleigh, 1584.
Panama, town. 8N. 79W. First town f. by Avila, 1518; destroyed by buccaneer Morgan, 1670, and rebuilt by H. de Cordova.
[Panama], Isthmus of. 7-9N. 77-82W. Coast first sighted by the Spaniard Bastidas, 1501; coasted by Columbus, who called it Veragua, during his fourth and last voyage, 1502; town on f. by Ojeda, 1510, afterwards destroyed; Nombre de Dios and other towns settled shortly after; Pizarro here on his way to Peru. The idea of cutting a way through the isthmus was propagated as early as the 16th century. First Pacific steamboat passed through canal, 1909. (See under [Darien]).
Panuco, river, mouth of at Tampico, Mexico. 21N. 97W. Pineda attacked by natives near mouth of, 1519; colony settled on by Garay, Governor of Jamaica, 1520; De Soto at mouth of, 1539.
[Paraguay], republic, S.A. 22S. 54W. Discovered by De Solis, 1515; by Cabot, 1526; explored and taken possession of by Mendoza, 1536; Asuncion (q.v.) f. 1536 or 1537; formerly a dependency of Peru; threw off Spanish authority, 1810; defeat of Belgrano, near Asuncion, made Paraguay definitely independent of Buenos Ayres, 1811; Dr. Francia dictator, 1816-40; Antonio Lopez in power, 1841-62; reign of terror under his son till 1870, when latter was captured and killed; constant change of presidents since.
[Paraguay], river, Brazil. 14S. 57W. Cabot on, 1525; explored by Ayolas, who fought successfully with the natives on, 1535-7.
[Parana], river, estuary of, at Rio de la Plata. First ascended by Cabot, 1525; Ayolas on, 1535.
[Paria], Gulf of, S.A. 9N. 60W. Columbus in, 1498; Ojeda in, 1499.