name of himself and his companions, consisting of the largest and most precious pearls they had collected. As a trusty and intelligent envoy to bear these tidings, he chose Pedro de Arbolancha, an old and tried friend, who had accompanied him in his toils and dangers, and was well acquainted with all his transactions."*

"Unfortunately, the ship which was to convey the messenger to Spain, lingered in port until the beginning of March; a delay which had a fatal influence on the fortunes of Vasco Nuñez."+

CHAPTER XXVII.

Of the appointment of Don Pedro Arias Davila, commonly called Pedrarias, in 1514 as governor of Darien; the prosperous state of the colony under the management of Nuñez when Pedrarias arrived; the conduct of Pedrarias to Nuñez; the sickness of the colony soon after the arrival of Pedrarias; his unsuccessful expeditions; and the dispatches from Spain in favour of Nuñez.

The complaints made by the Bachelor Enciso, after his arrival in Castile, induced the king to send a new governor to Darien with power to enquire into and remedy all abuses. For this purpose he chose Don Pedro Arias Davila, commonly called Pedrarias. He was a native of Segovia, who had been brought up in the royal household, and had distinguished himself both in the war in Granada and at the taking of Oran and Bugia in Africa. His personal accomplishments were such as would captivate the soldiery: he was called el Galan, for his gallant array and courtly demeanor, and el Justador, or the Tilter, for his dexterity in jousts and tournaments. Scarcely had this appointment been made, when the commissioners. from Darien arrived, communicating the intelligence from the son of Comagre, and asking one thousand men to make the discovery. Ferdinand rewarded the bearers of the intelligence, and resolved to dispatch immediately a powerful armada with twelve hundred men, under the command of Pedrarias to accomplish the enterprise. Many cavaliers offerin

themselves as volunteers, the number was extended to fifteen hundred, and eventually upwards of two thousand embarked. Santa Maria de la Antigua was, by royal ordinance, elevated into the metropolitan city of Golden Castile, and a friar named Juan de Quevedo was appointed as bishop, with powers to decide in all cases of conscience. A number of friars was nominated to accompany him, and he was provided with the necessary furniture and vessels for a chapel. Among the regulations made for the good of the colony, it was ordained that no lawyers should be admitted there; it being supposed that at Hispaniola and elsewhere they were detrimental to the welfare of the settlements, by fomenting disputes and litigations. The judicial affairs were to be entirely confided to the Licentiate Gaspar de Espinosa, who was to officiate as alcalde mayor or chief judge. The wife of Don Pedrarias accompanied her husband: she left behind her in Spain a family of four sons and four daughters. Don Pedrarias was instructed to use great indulgence towards the people of Darien who had been the followers of Nicuesa, and to remit the royal tithe of all the gold they might have collected previous to his arrival. Vasco Nuñez was to be deposed from his assumed authority and called to strict account before the alcalde mayor for his treatment of the Bachelor Enciso. The fleet, consisting of fifteen sail, weighed anchor at St. Lucar on the 12th of April 1514.*

It is said by Mr. Irving that the two governors, Ojeda and Nicuesa, whom the king had appointed to

*Voyages of Companions of Columbus, p. 213 to 217.

colonize and command at the isthmus of Darien in Terra Firma, having failed in their undertaking, the sovereign in 1514 wrote to Hispaniola permitting the Adelantado, Don Bartholomew, if so inclined, to take charge of settling the coast of Veragua and to govern that country under the admiral Don Diego, conformably to his privileges, but that it was now too late; illness preventing Don Bartholomew from executing the enterprise.*

But a short time elapsed after the departure of the fleet of Pedrarias from Spain, when Pedro Arbolancho arrived. He announced the adventurous and successful expedition of Vasco Nuñez, and laid before the king the pearls and ornaments which he had brought. The tidings of this discovery made all Spain resound with the praises of Vasco Nuñez : from being considered a lawless and desperate adventurer, he was lauded to the skies as a worthy successor to Columbus.+

"While honours and rewards were preparing in Europe for Vasco Nuñez, that indefatigable commander, inspired by his fortunes, with redoubled zeal and loftier ambition, was exercising the paternal forethought and discretion of a patriotic governor over the country subjected to his rule. His most strenuous exertions were directed to bring the neighbourhood of Darien into such a state of cultivation as might render the settlement independent of Europe for plies. The town was situated on the banks of a river, and contained upwards of two hundred houses and cabins. population amounted to five hundred and fifteen Europeans,

*Irving's Columbus, vol. 2, p. 219, Appendix No. 2.

Voyages of Companions of Columbus, p. 217, 18.

sup

Its

all men, and fifteen hundred Indians, male and female. Orchards and gardens had been laid out, where European, as well as native fruits and vegetables were cultivated, and already gave promise of future abundance. Vasco Nuñez devised all kinds of means to keep up the spirits of his people. On holidays they had their favourite national sports and games, and particularly tilting matches, of which chivalrous amusement the Spaniards, in those days, were extravagantly fond. Sometimes he gratified their restless and roving habits, by sending them in expeditions to various parts of the country, to acquire a knowledge of its resources, and to strengthen his sway over the natives. He was so successful in securing the amity or exciting the awe of the Indian tribes, that a Spaniard might go singly about the land in perfect safety; while his own followers were zealous in their devotion to him, both from admiration of his past exploits, and from hopes of soon being led by him to new discoveries and conquests. Peter Martyr, in his letter to Leo the Tenth, speaks in high terms of these 'old soldiers of Darien,' the remnants of those welltried adventurers who had followed the fortunes of Ojeda, Nicuesa and Vasco Nuñez. They were hardened,' says he, to abide all sorrows, and were exceedingly tolerant of labour, heat, hunger and watching, insomuch that they merrily make their boast that they have observed a longer and sharper Lent than ever your Holiness enjoined, since, for the space of four years, their food has been herbs and fruits, with now and then fish, and very seldom flesh.'*

"Such were the hardy and well seasoned veterans that were under the sway of Vasco Nuñez; and the colony gave signs of rising in prosperity, under his active and fostering management, when, in the month of June, the fleet of Don Pedrarias Davila arrived in the gulf of Uraba.

*P. Martyr, decad. 3, c. iii. Lok's translation.