CHAPTER VIII.
BALBOA
ALONG the river's bank the train sped. As it approached Matachin Mr.Andrews pointed to a high hill not far away.
"Do you know what hill that is?" he asked Vasco.
"No, sir."
"Well, you ought to, for it is the spot of greatest historic interestin your country. Cerro Gigante, or Big Hill, is its name, and from itssummit was gained the first sight of the Pacific Ocean. Do you know whothe discoverer of that ocean was?"
"Yes, sir, it was Balboa, who also helped to build the city of Panama.I have heard my father speak of him."
"Balboa's life was full of adventures," said Mr. Andrews, "andincluded many dramatic incidents, but none equalled in intensity themoment when he first sighted the broad blue Pacific, which he calledthe 'Sea of the South.' At the head of a little band of tired Spaniardshe toiled up that hill. The vision that met his eyes amply repaid himfor all the hardships and privations he had suffered--and they had notbeen few."
Vasco's interest was now thoroughly aroused, and he asked Mr. Andrewsto tell him more about Balboa and his adventures.
"Perhaps I do not know very much about Balboa, but I am very glad totell you what I can.
"If I remember correctly, he was born about 1475 in Spain. So you seehe was just coming to young manhood when the wonderful discovery of anew world by Columbus thrilled every Spanish heart.
"Balboa was of noble parentage, though his family had become poor. Afew years after the discovery of America he sailed with Bastides andcoasted up and down this country.
"At first he was very successful in his ventures, but on account of thesinking of his ship he settled in Santo Domingo, and undertook to makehis living by farming. In this he failed. Soon his savings were spent,and he found himself in debt. This was a serious matter for Balboa, asunder Spanish law debtors were shown very slight consideration."
"Why didn't he run away?" asked Vasco.
"That is just what he wanted to do," replied Mr. Andrews, "but it wasalmost impossible to get away from the island unobserved. Finally,however, he made a desperate effort. He placed himself in a cask andcaused it to be carried from his farm on board a ship that was ready tosail for South America.
"When well out to sea, he appeared to the captain, who at first wasexceedingly angry. The captain relented, however, after he had heardBalboa's story, and allowed the fugitive to remain with him.
"Later, a wealthy friend supplied funds for an expedition of whichBalboa was the head. At first he was unsuccessful and results were notpromising, but on a visit to the Isthmus much wealth was secured, andBalboa's great success--the discovery of the Pacific--was attained.
"The building of the city of Panama soon followed. It was from thatplace that Pizarro, one of Balboa's companions, a few years later,sailed for Peru, whence such fabulous wealth was carried back to Spain.You saw in the ruins of the old cathedral the altar where Pizarrooffered sacrifice to the Holy Virgin."
Here Mr. Andrews concluded his story, and Harlan added:
"You did not tell Vasco that Balboa made friends with an Indian chiefon the Isthmus, and married his daughter. More than that, unlike alot of Spanish explorers, he really loved his Indian wife and remainedtrue to her--so true, in fact, that he afterward lost his life on heraccount."
"And was Balboa finally killed, then?" asked Vasco.
"Yes; he was executed by order of a jealous governor of the Isthmus,"replied Mr. Andrews.
"That seems strange, after all he had done for his country," said Vasco.
"I know it does," was Mr. Andrews's answer; "but that was the way Spainoften dealt with her adventurous explorers. Many of them deserved theirfate much more than Balboa, though."
While Mr. Andrews had been telling the story of Balboa, the traincontinued to roll on. Gorgona, San Pablo, and Tavernilla were passed insuccession. Bohio was a special point of interest, for here, as Mr.Andrews told the boys, the canal is to enter the artificial lake to beformed by a great dam. When complete, there will be a broad, deep bodyof water seven miles in length, affording room for anchorage as well asfor navigation.
Gatun was the next place of importance, and not long after the trainpassed through Monkey Hill, a suburb of Colon, and finally into thecity of Colon itself.