Discovery of the Pacific Ocean.—Plans of Columbus.—Avarice of the Spaniards.—Balboa.—Weighing the gold.—The young Indian’s speech.—Indian mode of fighting.—Balboa ascends the mountain.—First view of the Pacific.
Columbus had first seen land in the New World on the 12th of October, 1492. Six years after he surveyed the coast of the American continent by Paria and Cumana. Territory was the grand object with the noble mind of Columbus; he wished to colonize this great country by the settling of Europeans, and thus introduce Christianity and civilization among the Red Men. But the adventurers that followed him sought gold as their only object, and employed the sword as the only means of converting the natives.
The Spaniards who first landed on the continent, saw before them a magnificent country, vast forests, mighty rivers, long ranges of mountains—a dominion wide enough for the widest ambition of conquest, or the richest enjoyment of life; but no treasure. Still their avarice was kept in a perpetual fever by the Indian stories of gold in profusion farther to the west, and their fancy was excited by tales of a sea beyond, which they said stretched to the extremities of the globe.
The first European who set his eye on the Pacific Ocean, was Vasco Thenez De Balboa. His family was of the order of Spanish gentry. He was a man of great enterprise, personal strength, and of a daring courage. He had been disappointed in his expectations of obtaining wealth at Hayti, where he had settled, and an expedition sailing to Darien, he accompanied it. A colony was already established on the eastern side of the isthmus of Darien; but the savages in the vicinity had been found so warlike, that the settlers did not venture to explore the interior.
Indian rumors of the golden country continued to inflame the Spaniards. They heard of one king Dabaibe, who was said to be living in a city filled with treasure, and who worshipped an idol of solid gold. Balboa put himself at the head of his countrymen, and marched to conquer the rich city. But they had first to conquer the surrounding caciques, who would not permit the Spaniards to pass through their territories. At length, Balboa formed an alliance with Comogre, a mountain chieftain, who had three thousand warriors.
The son of Comogre brought a present to the Spanish troops of sixty slaves and four thousand pieces of gold. In distributing the gold, some difficulty occurred, as is usually the case where people are all selfish; the quarrel grew furious, and swords were drawn. The young Indian looked on, first with astonishment, then with scorn. Advancing to the scales in which they were weighing the gold, he threw them on the ground, exclaiming—“Is it for this trifle that you Spaniards quarrel? If you care for gold, go seek it where it grows. I can show you a land where you may gather it by handfuls.”
This speech brought all the Spaniards around him, and he proceeded to detail his knowledge. “A cacique, very rich in gold,” said he, “lives to the south, six suns off.” He pointed in that direction. “There,” said he, “you will find the sea. But there you will find ships as large as your own, with sails and oars. The men of these lands are so rich, that their common eating and drinking vessels are of gold.” This was to the Spaniards their first knowledge of Peru.
Balboa determined to search for this rich country. He collected a hundred and ninety Spanish soldiers, a thousand friendly Indians, and some bloodhounds, and began his march into the wilderness. The Indian tribes were instantly roused. The Spaniards had scarcely reached the foot of the Sierra, when they found the warriors, headed by their caciques, drawn up in a little army.
The Indians, like the ancient Greeks, first defied the enemy, by loud reproaches and expressions of scorn. They then commenced the engagement. Torecha, their king, stood forth in the front of his people, clothed in a regal mantle, and gave the word of attack. The Indians rushed on with shouts; but the Spanish crossbows and muskets were terrible weapons to their naked courage. The Indians were met by a shower of arrows and balls, which threw them into confusion. They were terrified, also, at the noise of the guns. They thought the Spaniards fought with thunder and lightning. Still, the Indians did not fly till their heroic king and six hundred of their warriors were left dead on the spot. Over their bleeding bodies, Balboa marched to the plunder of their city.
Balboa, with his army, now commenced the ascent of the mountains. It took them twenty days. After toiling through forests, and climbing mountains that seemed inaccessible, his Indian guide pointed out to him, among the misty summits of the hills that lay before him, the one from which the Pacific was visible. Balboa determined to have the glory of looking upon it first. He commanded his troops to halt at the foot of the hill. He ascended alone, with his sword drawn, and having reached the summit, cast his eyes around. The Pacific Ocean was spread out before him!