CHAPTER XXII. 



PONCE DE LEON — THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH — DISCOVERY OF FLORIDA — THE MAR-* 



TYRS AND THE TORTUGAS THE BAHAMA CHANNEL VASCO NUNEZ DE BALBOA 



— HE GOES TO SEA IN A BARREL — MARRIES A LADY OF THE ISTHMUS — HIS 

 SEARCH FOR GOLD — HEARS OF A MIGHTY OCEAN — UNDERTAKES TO REACH IT 

 — I 'REPARATIONS FOR THE EXPEDITION — LEONCICO THE BLOODHOUND — BATTLE 

 WITH A CACIQUE — ASCENT OF THE MOUNTAINS — BALBOA MOUNTS TO THE 



SUMMIT ALONE — THE FIRST SIGHT OF THE PACIFIC CEREMONIES OF TAKING 



POSSESSION — BALBOA UP TO HIS KNEES IN THE OCEAN — EVERY ONE TASTES 

 THE WATER — A VOYAGE UPON THE PACIFIC, AND A NARROW ESCAPE IGNO- 

 MINIOUS FATE OF BALBOA — JUAN DIAZ DE SOLIS — DISCOVERS THE RIO DE 

 LA PLATA — HIS HORRIBLE DEATH BY CANNIBALS. 



We now return, in due chronological progression, to the dis- 

 coveries of the Spaniards in the West. We have not space to 

 describe, or even to mention, all the successive expeditions made 

 to various points of the great American Continent : we select, 

 therefore, only the more important and interesting episodes 

 among the Spanish maritime achievements. Three heroes will 

 15 225 



