, 1913-07-16

Finally the materials were conveyed across
to the shores Of the Gulf of San Miguel.
The work of building the ships was then
commenced, but there were still difficulties.
An exceptional tide came up carrying away
part OF the timber and burying the rest IN
the mud, and the Workmen had to save
themselves by climbing up the trees. Fresh
timber had to be hewn and fashioned on
the spot. 1t was due to the great and rare
qualities of Vasco Nun z, to his magnetic
influence over men, aud to bis close atten-
tiou to details, that the vessels were finally
completed md launched. He had four YES
sells and 300 men ready to navigate the
South sea.
A Vene ian aetrologer had once told Waco
Nunez that when he should see a certain
star, which he named, III a certain part of
the heavens, his life would be in danger.
One evening after the ships were ready to
sail he saw the fatal star in the quarter in
Dictated bv the astroIoger. He laughed at
the prediction, for was he not on the high
road to fortune? The very next day he re-
ceived an urgent message from PedrarIaS
requiring him to come at once to Acla,
rs his advice was needed on a question of
impor ance. Quite unsuspicious Of any
treQchery. Vusco Nnf"z set out at once to
obey the summons. just outside the set
tlemeut Of Acla he was arrested and bound
by his former friend and follower Francisco
Pizarro. The great discoverer exclaimed,
"What is this, Francisco? you were not wont
to come out in this fashion to receive mt!'
We need not dwell on the particulars OF
The murder. 1t was not even Il Judicial
murder, for the Judge Fspiuosn protested.
It took place in 1877, when Vasco Nunez
was in his 42nd year.
The death of Vasco Nunez is one of the
greatest calamities that could have happen
ed to the natives. He had collected his
little fleet in the Gulf Of San Miguel, and
was about to sail away into the unknown
ocean he had discovered. He would thus
have become the discoverer Of the great
Empire of the Incos, and the conquest of
Peru would have been 1t very different story
from that which is now interviewer with the
name of the false friend of Vasco Nunez, the
ruthless Francisco Pizarro. For VascO Nj
neg was one of those men who are born to
govern their fellows. He had the true ge-
MUS of a statesman and u warrior, was us
humane and iudicious as he was firm Of pur-
nose and indomitable Of will. And this
great man was destined to fall through the
mean jealousy Of an incapable rutflan placed
in power through court influence.
Pedrarias used the ships of Vasco Nunez
to sail along the coast to a bay whore, IN
1919, he founded the city Of Panama. The
ships of Vasco Nunez did further service in
the discovery Of the coasts of Burica and
Nicaragua.
And now how much, or rather how little,
do we know of this famous isthmus of Da-
rien, how little though French and Ameri-
can engineers have been calling the atten-
tion of the world to their wonderful proceed
ingS for a long course Of years.
Vasco Nunez de Balboa discovered, dill
gent Pascual de Andogoya described the
discoveries. Wafer lived for some months
among the Indians, and wrote an interest
ing account of them. My old colleague,
Laurence Oliphant, gave us a paper on the
Bayanos river, the narrowest part OF the
Tsthmus. Elliot Warburton wrote a charm
ING account of the unfortunate Scottish co
lony. But | am not aware of any full and
satisfactory geographical description either
of the basin of the Bayanos or of the basin
of the Chacunague. There is still much for
geographers to do and 10 learn even III
this Darien isthmus.
Never were truer words spoken and never
were they more needed than when our Pre-
sident emphatically reminded the Society
that there could not be o greater mistake
-. - ,,,oe tlot tho work of explOrotion