The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-06-24

West Indies were islands off the coast
of Asia.
When the vessel which Balboa had
boarded SO unceremoniously reached the
mainland of Central America members OF
the little Spanish colony already there re-
fused to allow the captain of the vessel
to come ashore. for he had an evil reputa-
ton. The other men, however, went
ashore under the leadership OF Balboa
and at once began a trip of exploration.
Balboa made an alliance with powerful
Indian chief who ruled that portion of
the land and married the chiefs daugh-
ter. At the wedding feast the Indians
brought rich gifts of slaves and gold. and
were amazed to see how the eyes of the
Spaniards glttered at sight of the yellow
metal and how they quarreled over it.
Some of these simple men told Balboa
and his followers that IL they cared so
much for this yellow stuff 1t would be
wise for them to go to a country where
there was enough for all Such a coun-
try. they said. lay across the mountains
to the south. along the shores of great
sea. There, these Indians declared, the
stuff the white men called gold was SO
plentiful that it was used in the making
of cooking vessels.
At once Balboa fitted up an expedition
to cross the mountains to the land Of
gold. With him be took 200 men and
pack of savage dogs, which should attack
unfriendly Indians. The country over
which they passed was very rough. and
tropical forest tangled about their
waists. Fights with the silent-footed In
dams of the forest wers frequent. and one
wonders how the Spaniards, many OF
whom were weighted down with steel
armor, ever succeeded in crossing the
sthmus 81
Up and up the mountains they pushed,
though peaks towering above them shut
off all view of what lay beyond. 1t was
the 25th day of September when Balboa
reached the summit OF the range, and,
looking away to the west and south.
saw a great ocean sparkling in the sun.
With eagle eyes
He stared at the Pacific-and all mis-
men
Looked at each other with wild sur
mise
Silent. upon peak in Darien-
Then down the mountains they clam
bered, four days march, until they
came to the beach which this new ocean
Tapped, and Balboa, a sword in his right
hand and the great, glittering banner of
Spain In his left waded out knee deep
into the sea and tooh possession of it.
declaring that all lands whose shores
were washed by thar sea were hence
forth and forever the property OF the
nificent piece # arrogance and typically
Spanish.
Balboa called the new ocean the South
Sea. because he was looking toward the
south when first he saw 1t. But he and
his followers though they had discov-
cred a new ocean, failed to find the land
of gold for which they had set out. He
then returned to Darien and sent word
to the Spanish King of the great discov-
cry which he had made. Then he caused
four small ships to be taken apart and
carried across the mountains, believing
that somewhere on the other side of the
new ocean lay HIS Ell Dorado. These
vessels were set up again and launched.
the first European ships to dip keel IN
the great South Sea. But before Balboa
had equipped them fully and put out to
sea his enemies. hurrying across the
isthmus. captured him. accusing him Of
plots against the King. There was no
evidence of any such plotting on Balboas
part. but those were lawless times. and
the men of Darien we're jealous Of Bal
boa. In less than "a hours he was tried,
found guilty, condemned to death and be-
headed