Violent proceedings again Balboa.

Ferdinand became fenfible at length of his imprudence in fuperfeding the mott active and experienced officer he had in the New World, and by way of compenfation to Balboa, appointed him Adelantado, or Lieutenant-governor of the countries upon the South Sea, with very extenfive privileges and authority. At the fame time (1515.) he enjoined Pedrarias to fupport Balboa in all his operations, and to confult with him concerning every meafure which he himfelf pursued. But to effect fuch a fudden tranfition from inveterate enmity to perfect confidence, exceeded Ferdinands power. Pedrarias continued to treat his rival with neglect; and Balboa's fortune being exhaufted by the payment of his fine, and other exactions of Pedrarias, he could not make fuitable preparatious for taking poffeffion of his new government. At length, by the interpofitions and exhortations of the bifhop of Darien, they were brought to a reconciliation; and in order to cement this union more firmly, Pedrarias agreed to give his daughter in marriage to Balboa. The firft effect of their concord was, (1516.) that Balboa was permitted to make several fmall incurfions into the country. These he conducted with fach prudence, as added to the reputation which he had already acquired. Many adventurers reforted to him, and, with the countenance and aid of Pedrarias, he began to

prepare for his expedition to the South Sea. In order to accomplish this, it was neceffary to build veffels capable of conveying his troops to thofe provinces which he purposed to invade. After furmounting many obftacles, and enduring a variety of thofe hardfhips which were the portion of the conquerors of America, he at length finifhed four fmall brigantines. In thefe, with three hundred chofen men, a force fuperior to that with which Pizarro afterwards undertook the fame expedition, he was ready to fail towards Peru, when he received an unexpected meffage from Pedrarias. n) As his reconciliation with Balboa had never been cordial, the progrefs which he made revived his ancient enmity, and added to its rancour. He dreaded the profperity and elevation of a man whom he had injured fo deeply. He fufpected that fuccefs would encourage him to aim at independence upon his jurifdiction; and fo violently did the paffions of hatred, fear, and jealousy, operate upon his mind, that, in order to gratify his vengeance, he fcrupled not to defeat an enterprize of the greatest moment to his country. Under pretexts which were falfe, but plaufible, he defired Balboa to postpone his voyage for a fhort time, and to repair to Acla, in order that he might have an interview with him. Balboa with the unfufpi

n) Herrera, dec. 2. lib. i. 6. 3. Lib. ii. c. 11, 13, 21.

cious confidence of a man confcious of no crime, instantly obeyed the fummons; but as foon as he entered the place, he was arrefted by order of Pedrarias, whofe impatience to fatiate his revenge did not fuffer him to languish long in confinement. Judges were immediately appointed to proceed to his trial. An accufation of difloyalty to the king, and of an intention to revolt against the governor, was preferred against him, Sentence of death was pronounced; and though the judges who paffed it, feconded by the whole colony, interceded warmly for his pardon, Pedrarias continued inexorable; and the Spaniards beheld, with astonishment and forrow, the publick execution of a man whom they univerfally deemed more capable than any who had borne command in America, of forming and accomplishing great defigns. o) Upon his death, the expedition which he had planned was relinquifhed. Pedrarias, notwithstanding the violence and injuftice of his proceedings, was not only fcreened from punifhment by the powerful patronage of the bishop of Burgos and other courtiers, but continued in power. Soon after, he obtained permiffion to remove the colony from its unwholefome ftation at Santa Maria to Panama, on the oppofite fide of the ifthmus; and though it did not gain much in point of healthfulness by the change, the com

) Herrera, dec. 2. lib. ii. c. 21. 22.

modious fituation of this new fettlement contri, buted greatly to facilitate the fubfequent conquefts of the Spaniards in the vaft countries fituated upon the Southern Ocean. p)

New difcoveries. 1515.

During thefe tranfactions in Darien, the hiftory of which it was proper to carry on in an uninterrupted tenour, several important events occurred with respect to the discovery, the conquest, and government of other provinces in the New World. Ferdinand was fo intent upon opening a communication with the Molucca or Spice Iflands by the weft, that, in the year one thousand five hundred and fifteen, he fitted out two fhips at his own expence, in order to attempt fuch a voyage, and gave the command of them to Juan Diaz de Solis, who was deemed one of the moft fkilful navigators in Spain. He stood along the coaft of South America, and, on the first of January one thousand five hundred and fixteen, entered a river, which he called Janeiro, where an extenfive commerce is now carried on. From thence he proceeded to a fpacious bay, which he fuppofed to be the entrance into a ftrait that communicated with the Indian ocean; but upon advancing farther, he found it to be the mouth of Rio de Plata, one of the vast rivers by which

P) Herrera, dec. 2. lib. iv. . j.

the fouthern continent of America is watered. In endeavouring to make a defcent in this country, De Solis and several of his crew were flain by the natives, who, in fight of the fhips, cut their bodies in pieces, roafted and devoured them. Difcouraged with the lofs of their commander, and terrified at this fhocking fpectacle, the furviving Spaniards fet fail for Europe, without aiming at any farther difcovery. q) Though this attempt proved abortive, it was not without benefit. It turned the attention of ingenious men to this courfe of navigation, and prepared the way for a more fortunate voyage, in which, a few years pofterior to this period, the great defign that Ferdinand had in view was accomplished.

State of the colony in Hifpaniola.

Though the Spaniards were thus actively employed in extending their difcoveries and fettlements in America, they ftill confidered Hifpaniola as their principal colony, and the feat of government. Don Diego Columbus wanted neither inclination nor abilities to have rendered the members of this colony, who were most immediately under his jurifdiétion, profperous and happy. But he was circumfcribed in all his operations by the fufpicious policy of Ferdinand, who on every occafion, and under pretexts the

4) Herrera, dec. 2. lib. i. c. 7. P. Martyr. decad. p. 317.