ding his power among the neighbouring Indians. Those
who were hostile he attacked; those who were friendly he conciliated.
From all he obtained supplies of provisions and gold, to support and
enrich his colony. It was in one of his excursions to a friendly chief,
the cacique of Comagre, that he obtained the information which gave
greater scope to his adventurous spirit, and enabled him to place
himself in the same degree with Pizarro and Cortez among the
discoverers who succeeded the great admiral. The cacique had made a
present or tribute of a large quantity of gold, and the followers of
Vasco Nunez quarrelled as they were dividing among them their respective
shares in the presence of the Indian chief.

"The high minded savage was disgusted at this sordid brawl
among beings whom he had regarded with such reverence. In the
first impulse of his disdain he struck the scale with his fist,
and scattered the glittering gold about the porch. Before the
Spaniards could recover from their astonishment at this sudden
act, he thus addressed them: 'Why should you quarrel for such a
trifle? If this gold is indeed so precious in your eyes, that
for it alone you abandon your homes, invade the peaceful lands
of others, and expose yourselves to such sufferings and perils,
I will tell you of a region where you may gratify your wishes
to the utmost.--Behold those lofty mountains,' continued he,
pointing to the south; 'beyond these lies a mighty sea, which
may be discerned from their summit. It is navigated by people
who have vessels almost as large as yours, and furnished, like
them, with sails and oars. All the streams which flow down the
southern side of those mountains into that sea abound in gold;
and the kings who reign upon its borders eat and drink out of
golden vessels. Gold, in fact, is as plentiful and common among
those people of the south as iron is among you Spaniards.'

"Struck with this intelligence, Vasco Nunez inquired eagerly as
to the means of penetrating to this sea and to the opulent
regions on its shores. 'The task,' replied the prince, 'is
difficult and dangerous. You must pass through the territories
of many powerful caciques, who will oppose you with hosts of
warriors. Some parts of the mountains are infested by fierce
and cruel cannibals, a wandering lawless race: but, above all,