It was a dear bought victory, however; for though the Indians had lost six hundred of their number in the contest, they could easily recruit their forces.  But Balboa, whose band was now reduced, by sickness and the contest, from ninety-five men to sixty-seven, had no means of adding to their strength, but was forced to proceed with what forces he had.

Early the next morning after the battle, they set out on their journey up the mountain.  About ten o’clock they came out of the tangled forest, and reached an open space, where they enjoyed the cool breezes of the mountains.  They now began to take a little courage.  Their joy was heightened still more, when they heard one of the Indian guides exclaim, “The sea! the sea!”

Balboa commanded his men to stop; and resolving to be the first European who should behold this new sea, he forbade his men to stir from their places till he called them.  Then ascending to the summit of the height, which the Indian had mounted, he beheld the sea glittering in the morning sun.

Calling now upon his little troop to ascend the height, and view the noble prospect along with him, “behold,” said he, “the rich reward of our toil.  This is a sight upon which no Spaniard’s eye ever before rested.”  And in their great joy the leader and his men embraced each other.

Balboa then took possession of the sea and coast, and the surrounding country, in the name of the King of Spain; and having cut down a tree, and made it into the form of a cross—­for they were Catholics—­he set it up on the very spot where he first beheld the grand Pacific Ocean.  He also made a high mound, by heaping up large stones, upon which he carved the king’s name.  This was on September 26th, 1513.

Not content with seeing the ocean, Balboa determined to visit it.  Arriving, after much toil, at one of the bays on the coast, he called it St. Michael’s Bay.  Coming to a beach a mile or two long, “If this is a sea,” said he, “it will soon be covered with water; let us wait and see if there be a tide.”  So he seated himself under a tree, and the water soon began to flow.  He tasted it and found it salt; and then waded up to his knees in it, and took possession of it in the name of his king.

[Illustration:  Death of Balboa.]

Balboa’s heart was now so lifted up by success, and his whole nature so changed, that he was ready to fight and destroy every Indian tribe that opposed his progress.  But he had not always the best of it.  On one occasion he was lost, with one or two followers, and having been seized by some natives, carried immediately before their cazique, or chief.  He was seated on a raised seat, covered with a panther’s skin, and bore a single feather of the vulture upon his head.  Beside him stood his slaves, to fan him, and screen his head from the sun, and around him warriors, with the sculls of their enemies fixed upon their spears:  which made the whole scene very horrible.