The Spaniards, at that period, were engaged in a career of activity which gave a romantick turn to their imagination, and daily presented to them ftrange and marvellous objects. A new world was opened to their view. They vifited iflands and continents of whofe existence mankind in former ages had no conception. In thofe delightful countries nature feemed to affume another form; every tree and plant and animal was different from thofe of the ancient hemifphere. They feemed to be tranfported into enchanted ground; and, after the wonders which they had feen, nothing, in the warmth and novelty of their admiration, appeared to them fo extraordinary as to be beyond belief. If the rapid fucceffion of new and striking fcenes made fuch impreffion even upon the found underftanding of Columbus, that he boafted of having found the feat of Paradife, it will not appear ftrange that Ponce de Leon fhould dream of discovering the fountain of youth z),

Progrefs of Balboa in Darjen.

Soon after the expedition to Florida, a difcovery of much greater importance was made in another part of America. Balboa having been raised to the government of the fmall co

z) P. Martyr, decad. p. 202. Enfayo Chronol. para la Hift. de la Florida, por. D. Gab. Cardenas, p. I. Oviedo, lib. xvi. c. 11. Herrera, dec. 1. lib. ix. c. 5. Hift. de la Conq. de la Florida, por Garc. de la Vega, lib. i. c.

lony at Santa Maria in Darien, by the voluntary fuffrage of his affociates, was fo extremely defirous to obtain from the crown a confirmation of their election, that he dispatched one of his officers to Spain, in order to folicit a royal commiffion, which might invest him with a legal title to the fupreme command, Confcious, however, that he could not expect success from the patronage of Ferdinand's minifters, with whom he was unconnected, or from negociating in a court to the arts of which he was a stranger, he endeavoured to merit the dignity to which he aspired, and aiming at performing fome fignal fervice that would fecure him the preference to every competitor. Full of this idea, he made frequent inroads into the adjacent country, fubdued feveral of the caziques, and collected a confiderable quantity of gold, which abounded more in that part of the continent than in the iflands. In one of those excurfions, the Spaniards contended with fuch eagerness about the divifion of fome gold, that they were at the point of proceeding to acts of violence against one another. young cazique, who was prefent, aftonifhed at the high value which they fet upon a thing of which he did not difcern the ufe, tumbled the gold out of the balance with indignation; and, turning to the Spaniards:,, Why do you quarrel (fays he) about such a trifle? If you are fo paffionately fond of gold, as to abandon

A

your own country, and to difturb the tranquillity of diftant nations for its fake, I will conduct you to a region where the metal which feems to be the chief object of your admiration and defire, is fo common, that the meanest utenfils are formed of it." Transported with what they heard, Balboa and his companions inquired eagerly where this happy country lay, and how they might arrive at it? He informed them that at the diftance of fix funs, that is of fix days journey towards the fouth, they fhould discover another ocean, near to which this wealthy kingdom was fituated; but if they intended to attack that powerful ftate, they muft affemble forces far fuperior in number and ftrength to thofe with which they now appeared a).

The fchemes which he forms.

This was the firft information which the Spaniards received concerning the great fouthern ocean, or the opulent and extensive country known afterwards by the name of Peru. Balboa had now before him objects fuited to his boundlefs ambition, and the enterprizing ardour of his genius. He immediately concluded the ocean which the cazique mentioned, to be that for which Columbus had fearched without fuccefs

a) Herrera, dec. i. lib. ix. c. 2. Gomara, c. 69. P. Martyr. decad. p. 149.

in this part of America, in hopes of opening a more direct communication with the Eaft-Indies; and he conjectured that the rich territory which had been defcribed to him, must be part of that vaft and opulent region of the earth. Elated with the idea of performing what so great a man had attempted in vain; and eager to accomplish a difcovery which he knew would be no lefs acceptable to the king than beneficial to his country, he was impatient until he could fet out upon this enterprize, in comparison of which all his former exploits appeared inconfiderable. But previous arrangement and preparation were requifite to enfure fuccefs. He began with courting and fecuring the friendship of the neighbouring caziques. He fent fome of his officers to Hifpaniola with a large quantity of gold, as a proof of his paft fuccefs, and an earneft of his future hopes. By a proper diftribution of this, they fecured the favour of the governor, and allured volunteers into the fervice. A confiderable reinforcement from that ifland joined him, and he thought himfelf in a condition to attempt the discovery.

Difficulty of executing it.

The ifthmus of Darien is not above fixty miles in breadth; but this neck of land, which binds together the continents of North and South America, is ftrengthened by a chain of lofty mountains ftretching through its whole

extent, which render it a barrier of folidity fufficient to refift the impulfe of two oppofite oceans, The mountains are covered with forests almoft inacceffible. The valleys in that moist climate, where it rains during two thirds of the year, are marfhy, and fo frequently overflowed, that the inhabitants find it neceffary, in many places, to build their houfes upon trees, in order to be elevated at fome distance from the damp foil, and the odious reptiles engendered in the putrid waters. b) Large rivers rufh down with an impetuous current from the high grounds. In a region thinly inhabited by wandering favages, the hand of industry had done nothing to mitigate or correct those natural difadvantages. To march acrofs this unexplored country, with no other guides but Indians, whofe fidelity could be little trufted, was, on all thofe accounts, the boldest enterprize on which the Spaniards had hitherto ventured in the New World. But the intrepidity of Balboa was fuch as diftinguished him among his countrymen, at a period when every adventurer was confpicuous for daring courage. Nor was bravery his only merit; he was prudent in conduct, generous, affable, and poffeffed of those popular talents which, in the moft desperate undertakings, inspire confidence and fecure attachment. Even after the junction

b) P. Martyr, decad. p. 158.