o one but Saavedra had so much as an inkling of the
importance his success or failure would have for him personally. The
whole of his future lay on the unknown other side of that hill. He shut
his eyes as he reached the top--then opened them upon a glorious view.

A vast blue sea sparkled in the sunshine, only a few leagues away. From
the mountain top to the shore of this great body of water sloped a wild
landscape of forest, rock, savanna and winding river. Balboa knelt and
gave thanks to God.

Then he sprang to his feet and beckoned to his followers, who rushed up
the hill, the great hound Leoncico bounding far ahead. When all had
reached the summit Father Andreas de Varo, motioning them to kneel,
began the chant of Te Deum Laudamus, in which the company joined. The
notary of the expedition then wrote out a testimonial witnessing that
Balboa took possession of the sea, all its islands and surrounding
lands, in the name of the sovereign of Castile; and each man signed it.
Balboa had a tall tree cut down and made into a cross, which was planted
on the exact spot where he had stood when he first looked upon the sea.
A mound of stones was piled up for an additional monument, and the names
of the sovereigns were carved on neighboring trees. Then Balboa, leading
his men down the southern slope of the mountain, sent out three scouting
parties under Francisco Pizarro, Juan de Escaray and Alonso Martin to
discover the best route to the shore. Martin's party were first to reach
it, after two days' journey, and found there two large canoes. Martin
stepped into one of them, calling his companions to witness that he was
the first European who had ever embarked upon those waters; Blas de
Etienza, who followed, was the second. They reported their success to
Balboa, and with twenty-six men the commander set out for the sea-coast.
The Indian chief Chiapes, whom Balboa had fought and then made his ally,
accompanied the party with some of his followers. On Michaelmas they
reached the shore of a great bay, which in honor of the day was
christened Bay de San Miguel. The tide was out, leaving a beach half a
league wide covered with mud, and the Spaniards sat down to rest and
wait. When it turned, it came in so fast that some who had dropped
asleep found it lapping the bank at their feet, before they were fairly
roused.

Balboa stood up, and taking a banner which displayed the arms of
Castile and Leon, and the figure of the Madonna and Ch