The Nevada journal., 1858-09-17
How the Pacific was Discovered,

On a golden Autumn day, almost
three and half centuries ago, near the
summit of mountain, on the Isthmus of
Darien, company of Spanish soldiers
and native Indians came to a sudden
halt. They were the party of the he
roic Castilian explorer, Vasco Nunez de
Balboa. Thus far they marched from
the colony on the Gulf of Darien. for
many weary days, through danse tropi-
cal forests, infested by venomous rep
tiles and fearful wild beasts - through
pestiferous swamps and black, Shiny
streams, and over rocky heights, en-
countering the most dreadful fatigue,
illness, hunger and thirst, in the hope of
discovering new ocean, upon whose
shores might lie that country of whose
marv els and riches the savages told such
wonderful stories-the India of which
the great-hearted Columbus dreamed,
when he set on that voyage which the
wise men of Europe thought would tend
in a plunge down some ocean cataract
into black chaos, a thousand leagues
below the world.
Balboa had been assured by the In
dian guide that from the summit of a
certain mountain he would behold the
great sea, whose wave washed the shores
of vast territories veined with gold and
silver ore. Rousing their little remain
ing courage, the bold adventurers toiled
up the rough ascent, eager to behold the
promised sea as were the Israelites of old
to catch sight of the promised land. -
But just before they reached the highest
point, their leader commanded halt,
and they all paused, breathless but re-
luctant.
Balboa had resolved to be the first to
behold the Pacific, and he proceeded
alone to the summit. / do not think that
this was noble act, but selfish one
quite unworthy of true hero. Surely
.hose brave followers who had shared
with him all the perils and hardships of
the expedition, should have had their
full share in the first joy of tie discov-
cry. But he had it all to himself-thc
glorious sight of the vast, placid ocean !;
those green and fowery shores the
beauty, the grandeur, the mystery of a
new world-and it. was more than he
could bear unmoved He sank on his
knees, and gave thanks to God. Then
he called up his followers, and they cut
down large tree, and made of it a
cross, which they erected on the spot, in
sign Of conquest and civilization. They
also carved the names Of King Ferdi-
nand and Queen Isabella on several
prominent trees-thus taking possession
ofthe land.
They then descended to the sea-shore;
Balboa, having in one hand his drawn
sword, and in the other the Spanish STAN
dard, stood in the rising tide and shout
ed, "Long live the King and Queen of
CASTLE !'-thus taking possession of the
sea.
Perhaps they fingered on the shore
till night, and saw the sun descend into
that calm transparent expanse of sea,
turning all the waves into vast sheet
of gold, and setting all the western
heavens aglow with burning splendors,
till they seemed like the open gatesof
the "golden city" or the mighty pavil-
ions of "the King of Glory"
When the news of this discovery, of
such incalculable advantage to the
whole world, reached Spain, it caused
great wonder, rejoicing and triumph, and
the name of Vasco Nunez de Balboa was
associated with those of Christopher
Columbus and Americus Vespucius.-
Yet am sorry to add, in less than four
years from the time of his glorious dis
covery, he was accused of disloyalty,
and put to death by the Spanish Gov
ernor, Darien. ...-.
So it little profted the brave adven-
turer that he had found mighty ocean,
on which European eyes had never be-
fore gazed, and pointed the world to re-
gions of exhaustless riches. Yet let us
hope that for him the waters of that un-
known sea, which lies between us and
the true promised land" was illumina-
ted by the "Sun of Righteousness" and
that the gates of the golden city of God
were not closed against him:
WHo ARE THE EDITORS OF THE WASH
INGToN UNION l--It is widely reported
that Mr.. Appleton, Assistant Secretary
of the State, is one of the principal editors
e ~, /, w ,l;,tor TT.;n,, f1,r hfc corvir n |