, 1860-02-10

In the year 1913, Vasco Nunez de Bal
boa,-WhS was at that time the Governor
.oEa Colony Of Spain, located at DaTien, on
the coast Of the Atlantic Ocean,-while
directinga q march across the mountains in
that vicinity, found his progress interrupt
ed BY an immense sea stretching of into
the western horizon. The publication of
this discovery led at once to the conjecture
that this was the great Southern Ocean,
the search for which had SO long inspired
and bafled the zeal Of navigators From
Is juxtaposition 10 the Atlantic, it was
Supposed that the two seas were connected
with each other, and the aim thereafter was
10 discover the spot where their waters in
terminged. It was calculated by the
Spanish adventurers, that this point must
dc somewhere in the neighborhood Of tae
Isthmus Of Darien, and their researches
Hsrs mostly directed towards that region.
In the meanwhile, Fernando Magellan,
q distinguished Portugese navigator, haV-
ing 10 vain ihiportuned his own government,
lent himself to the service Of Spain, and in
the yearol5l9, made a voyage to the East
Indies through. the Straits which now bear
bis name. This important discovery was
regarded as demonstrating the practicable
y of circumnavigating the globe. But the
ifodte (which It opened to the East Indies
was found to be long and perilous, and the
sdEantages hardly eompensating for the
,difHeglties encountered in prosecuting the
trade through this line Of communication.
as9A cstiIl more interesting and important
discovery was made In the year 1911, which
revealed to the astOnished world the exten-
siVs and Aourishing empire Of Mexico. III
was subsequently conquered by Herman
COrtez, who marched to the capital, de-
throned ita monarch, struck terror into the
hearts Of his subjects, and reduced bis mag
.nifcent kingdom to the dominion Of Spain.
Having fairly established his authority, he
immediately cOmmencud exploring the sea
and country adjacent. By his splendid and
fortunate enterprises, having discovered
that the interior country was nheccupied
by any powerful tribes, and that the two
great oceans were wholly separated from
each other be directed bis expeditions to-
wards the Northwest, whittier he penelra-
ted as far as the southern entrance to the
peninsula of California, which be supposed
to be an island. Hurtado, Wendzo, Ulloa,
Coronado and others, successfully pushed
on these researches until their discoveries
included the whole Of New Spain. They
accomplished no further laudable results,
however, than to explode the idea OF the
existence Of the magnificent and opulent
cities Of Cibola, which had so long facina-
ted and beWildered the imaginations Of sd-
Nentnrers. The descriptions given Of these
voyages aud discoveries are very obscure
and imperfect. They seem to have been
generally written BY persons wholly unae-
quainted aud ignorant Of the geography of
the earth, who knew nothing Of the adYan-I
tages Of astronomical observations to navi-
CATION, aud who seem to have paid very
little regard to latitude or longitude
These circumstances have caused great in
accuracy 10 their statements, and render it
next to impossible to determine the locali-
ties Of many places they pretend to des-
crIbe, or the actual extent of their discoV-
cries 1t is left almost entirely to coDjec-
.tnre TO supply these deficiencies, till the
narratives given of the voyages of Juan de
.FHca, in the year 1892. 1t is supposed that
be penetrated as far north as VancouVer's
Island, inasmuch as his description of what
was then supposed to be the Northwest
Passage is perfectly in accordance with
those subsequently given of the Straits
which separate that Island from the main
land He passed through these Straits
and with an hir Of triumph, turned his
course again to the southwark as il he had
oSslved this great question. The represen-
tation that this grand discovery had been
made, and that the country beyond was
Inhabited by rich and powerful nations, in
duced the Spanish government to institute
. more particular investigation Of the sub
isct. An expedition was accordingly fitted
out for this purpose, under the direction Of
Sebastian Viscsino, which sailed from Aca-
pulco in May, 1902. After having reach
cd the western side Of California, and sur
Keyed and examined the coast aud terri
tory adjoining, Viscaino proceeded still
further nOrthWard, and is said to have en-
tered the mouth Of large river in about
lStitute 430, which would correspond to
fhat Of the latitude Of the Umpqus river Of
QtDgoD. He subsequently returned to