El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-08-17

tide, and even today the large steam
ers- anchor at Balboa
The building of the present Panama
was begun about 2S7 years ago The
work was slow and the cost enormous.
1t was estimated that 100000 900 were
spent upon the Qualifications. A great
deal OF this went into the walls winch
surrounded the city. some of which
are still standing. These walls were
long building, and a story is told which
states that the king of Spain was once
with a frOWn on his brow. Hereupon.
one of the knights asked him what he
saw. The frown changed TO a grim
smile, and the king said:
4 am looking for the golden walls
Of Panama They are costing so much
that we ought TO see them even here
in Madrid"
Some Old buildings Of Panama
There are but few OF those old build
ings now left in Panama You can
trace the walls and you will find the
people living in and near them today.
The cathedral in the plaza, in the cen
ter of the city, is one Of the best speci-
mems of the past. 1t IS about the old
est church on the continent It was
built by Panama bishop, whose father
was. a freed negro slave This man got
his start by selling charcoal, and he
left so much money that his son. the
Another old church here which is now
fast falling to ruins is that which has
the wonderful arch, proving that there
is little danger from earthquakes This
arch is almost straight. and any great
shock would seem 10 be able to throw
1t to the ground. Nevertheless il has
stood for centuries. and it still stands.
although the rest Of the church is in
ruins.
In the Footsteps of Columbus.
It is interesting to wander over the
historic ground of the isthmus. I have
visited the Chiriqui lagoon, where Co
lumbus is said TO have first set foot
on what is now the republic OF Pana-
ma. He came in 1902. and sailed along
the shores Of Costa Rica- He stopped
al Colon in 1903, when he named the
broken. mountain range there visible
San CristObal. It is after Columbus
that we have called the part Of Colon
which now belongs to Uncle sam, Girls
tobal.
Balboa and His Search For Gold.
Another old. historic point at Panama
is where Balboa stood when re discsV-
cred the Pacific. Some of the authori-
ties have picked out the spot Balboa
had been at Port Darien. on the Car
ribbean sea. at the southern end Of the
isthmus, and had there made a settle
ment, including a church, which is said
to be the first church built on the
American continent. While there the
indians told him many stories OF the
gold to be found farther on. One of
the chiefs. named Comagre. gave him
about $4,000 worth OF gold. and told
him that over the mountains was a
nation so rich in this metal that they
ate out Of gold dishes. He described
a temple of solid gold and offered to
conduct Balboa to where it lay.
This was the beginning of Balboa's
search for-the South sea He had sent
the word home to Spain and in return
was given the title OF Captain General
de la Antigua and told to make an ex-
petition to find the gold II was on
the LIST Of September. 1913, that he
started out with 100 white men and a
party of indians. Farther on he got
other indian guides, and on the Sth
OF September he was told by an indian
chief that he would see the great sea
when he had passed over certain noun
tains which were then in sight This
man gave Balboa some gold ornaments.
which he said came from the ocean.
The Discovery of the Pacific.
Going onward, Balboa had TO fight