Evening star., 1909-07-17
By Alethea Morgan, 12 Years, AZ
Seaton Place N, w.

THE ancient world was ignorant of the vast
cxpanse of water known as the Pacific
ocean. Vague reports of great ocean lying
beyond China were current i'll Europe an
early date. For several hundred years these
reports circulated. loaded with such cxtraya
giant tales of the period that it difficult to
locate their origin.
yasco Nunez de Balboa. of the brayest
the year 1415. He cultiva ed land I'm Hispaniola
but his debts became SO oppressive that the
toN'n unpleasant to him. In 1910 he set
sail with Encisco one of band of adyenturers.
by concealng himself in cask which was
tanning provisions. After landing narien on
the Gulf of ETabia. bitter cuarrcls broke out
among. the adventures because knciseo pro-
hibitcd interchange of gold with the natives.
Encisco deuosed from his s"lf-assanied Of
fc" of authority and thrown into prison Balboa
being left iu authority. proceeded To explore the
surrounding country On of his excursions
he heard of the vast ocean. and September l.
i513 set out I'm search of it, lie crossed the
Isthmus of Panama. and reaching the sum
init of tho mountain the glorious cxpansc of
the Pacific burst into view. After descending
the western slope of the mountai in Balboa ra isod
cross and took. possession of the South sea in
the name of the S.ansif monarch Pacific
meaning peaceful. and indicating its nature.
The given later by Magellan 10 this mag
nilcent ocean. said TO cover 67.slo.o0o square
miles.
Balboa immeda4ly sent messengers to Spain
heradng his discoveries. These did not arrive
until an expedition had left Spain under Don
Pedro Arias de Aviia TO replace Balboa and
take possession of the colony. After Pedrar rias
reached Darien Balboa III great straits until
he received letters from the kin. announcing
his satisfaction with his exploits and naming
him admiral. After marrying Pedrarias $ daugll-
ter he began exploring the ocean. hut was
stopped by the jealousy of his father in law
who recalled him and had him thrown into
prison.. tried for treason and forced the iudgn
10 condemn him To the grief of the inhabitants
this sentence WAS carried into execution in 15l7
By Lawrence F. Pope, ID Years, 627
East Capitol Street.
y1ASCO NUNEZ DE BALBOA. one of the most
daring and successful of the Spanish ex-
plorers, born at Neres de los Caballeros. in
Estremadura, about the year 1475 Little is
known of his life till 1901, when. in company
with Rodergo de Bastidas. he sailed on Il vovac,
OF adventure to the western seas. 1t seems that
he settled in Hispaniola and took to cultiyatin-
the soil. but with no great success. In 1909 he
put in command. While in command Bal
boa made many excursions into the surrounding
country. On one OF these trips he was told by
the natives of a large body of water which he
meantime Balboa had lost the kings favor and
10 regain this he resolved TO attempt some great
enterprise.
ON the lst of September 1913. Balboa set out
TO discover this body of water about which the
Indians had given him information with sixty
seven survivors of the command Of $50 men who
started. Twentysix days later they reached the
summit OF a range of mountains which over
looked the broad expanse of the Pacific ocean
Three days later they began 10 descend the
upon the western side and upon arriy-
ing at the seashore Balboa formally took posses
sion or the ocean. which he called the South
sea- for the King of Spain. Later, in 1920. Ma
gellan named IL the Pacific ocean, when he cir
cunlnavigated the globe And right here we
might add that the kings estimation of Balboa
increased. as he was given the title of admiral.