Vasco Nunez de Balboa, who had taken this way
to join the expedition and escape from his creditors, since they would not
have permitted him to go openly. The cask in which he snugly lay had been
carried from his farm to the ship among others containing provisions.

Enciso was furious when he saw this unwelcome addition to his crew. He
threatened to throw him overboard, and on second thought vowed to leave
him to starve on a desert island. The poor fellow fell on his knees and
tearfully begged for mercy. Others joined him in entreaties, and Enciso at
length softened and spared him his life. He was to pay bitterly for his
kindness before many days.

The expedition had its adventures on the seas, ending in a wreck, and when
San Sebastian was reached Ojeda was not to be found, and the settlement
was a ruin. Enciso was in a quandary what to do, but Balboa had been on
that coast before, on his first voyage out from Spain, and knew of an
Indian village on the Darien River where they might find food and shelter.
He advised Enciso to go thither, and a journey was made overland, among
hostile Indians and with little food. The adventurers were half-starved
when at length they reached their goal.

Here they founded a new settlement named Santa Maria, no doubt first
disposing of the Indians in the usual Spanish fashion,--killing some and
making slaves of others. But it was not long before there were bitter
quarrels among themselves. Enciso had forbidden them to have any private
trade for gold with the natives, a ukase which they strongly resented. The
result was that a party rose against him, with Balboa at its head. Enciso
was deprived of his authority, but when they tried to elect another in his
place it did not prove easy. Diego de Nicuesa, who had made a settlement
near there, was sent for by some of the settlers, but when he came,
Balboa's party would not receive him, and he, with seventeen companions,
was placed in a crazy old barque and left to find their way back to
Hispaniola as best they could.

Balboa had by this time shown himself the ablest and boldest man in
Darien, and his influence and power grew steadily until the settlers voted
him their governor. Enciso was seized and imprisoned, and finally was sent
to Spain. With him went one of Balboa's chief supporters, in order to gain
for him from the king the royal right to his new office.

Balboa lost no time in showing that he was worthy of the dignity given
him. He