hmus of Darien.

I will now give you a short account of the discovery of this ocean.

Nothing having been heard of Ojeda and his new colony of San Sebastian,
another expedition, commanded by Enciso, set sail in search of them.

Among the ship's company was a man, by name Vasco Ninez de Balboa, who,
although of a rich family, had, by his bad habits, not only become very
poor, but also very much in debt.

To avoid being thrown into prison for the debts that he owed, he
contrived to get on board Enciso's ship, concealed in a cask, which was
taken on board the vessel as a cask of provisions.

When the ship was far from St. Domingo, Balboa came out from his cask to
the astonishment of all on board.

Enciso at first was angry at the way he had escaped from the punishment
which his bad conduct had deserved; yet, as he thought that he might be
of service to him, he pardoned him.

The settlement of St. Sebastian, however, had been broken up, the
Spaniards having suffered much from the repeated attacks of the natives,
who would no longer patiently submit to their unjust treatment.

Soon after Enciso arrived at Carthagena he was joined by Pizarro, with
the wretched remains of the colony; he determined nevertheless, to
continue his voyage to the settlement.

Upon his arrival there he found Pizarro's account was too true, for
where St. Sebastian had stood, nothing was to be seen but a heap of
ruins.

Here misfortune followed misfortune, his own ship was wrecked and then
he was attacked by the natives.

In despair at these disasters Enciso was at a loss what to do, or where
to go, when Balboa advised him to continue his course along the coast in
Pizarro's little vessel.

He stated that he had once before been on an expedition in this same
gulf, and on the western side he well remembered an Indian village, on
the banks of a river, called by the natives Darien.

Enciso pleased with Balboa's advice, resolved to take possession of this
village, and to drive out all the Indians.

Arrived at the river, he landed his men, and, without giving the
unfortunate people of the village any notice, he attacked them, killed
several, drove the rest out, and robbed them of all their possessions.

He then made the village the chief place of his new government, and
called it Santa Maria del Darien. Balboa assisted in this work of
cruelty and injustice.

The Spaniards had not been long here when they became tired with Enciso,
and they