ther governor has added towns!"
Cortes died in his sixty-second year, December 2, 1547.

CHAPTER VIII

BALBOA AND THE ISTHMUS

In the Spanish conquest of America there are three great generals:
Cortes, Balbao, and Pizarro. The third may to many readers seem
immeasurably superior as explorer and conqueror to the second, but it
must be remembered that Pizarro's scheme of discovering and invading
Peru was precisely that which Balboa had already prepared. Pizarro
could afford to say, "Others have labored, and I have merely entered
into their labors."

What, then, was the work done by Balboa, and what prevented him from
taking Peru? In 1510, the year before the conquest of Cuba, Balboa was
glad to escape from Hispaniola, not to avoid the Spanish cruelties, like
Hatuey, the luckless cazique, but to escape from his Spanish creditors.
So anxious was he to get on board that he concealed himself in a cask to
avoid observation. Balboa, however, had administrative qualities, and
after taking possession of the uncleared district of Darien in the name
of the King of Spain, he was appointed governor of the new province. He
built the town Santa Maria on the coast of the Darien Gulf; but so
pestilential was the district (and still is) that the settlers were glad
after a short time to remove to the other side of the isthmus.

It was by mere accident that Balboa first heard of a great ocean beyond
the mountains of Darien, and of the enormous wealth of Peru, a country
hitherto unknown to Spain or Europe. As several soldiers were one day
disputing about the division of some gold-dust, an Indian cazique called
out:

"Why quarrel about such a trifle? I can show you a region where the
commonest pots and pans are made of that metal."

To the inquiries of Balboa and his companions, the cazique replied that
by traveling six days to the south they should see another ocean, near
which lay the wealthy kingdom.

Resolving to cross the isthmus, notwithstanding a thousand formidable
obstructions, Balboa formed a party consisting of 190 veterans,
accompanied by 1,000 Indians, and several fierce dogs trained to hunt
the naked natives. Such were the difficulties that the "six days'
journey" occupied twenty-five before the ridge of the isthmus range was
reached.

Balboa commanded his men to halt, and advanced alone to the summit,
that he might be the first who should enjoy a spectacle which he
had so long desired. As soon