ABSTRACT

Comogras's eldest son gave Vascus Nunez 4000 ounces of gold curiously wrought. The Spaniards weighed it in the porch of the palace, to put by the royal fifth, and then proceeded to share the remainder: about this they quarrelled; and Comogras's son struck the scales with his fist, and scattered all the gold about the porchtelling the Spaniards, that if wrought gold was all they wanted, and for it they suffered so much hardship, he would show them a region where they might satisfy their ravenous appetites; but that they must come with more men, and overcome King Tumanana, of great power, whose kingdom lays six days' march from thence: — " and when you are passing over those mountains," pointing to the south, " you shall see another sea, where they sail with ships as big as yours, using both sails and oars, as you do: although the men be naked as we are." All the furniture in King Tumanama's house, he affirmed, was made of gold; and to confirm the truth of what he said, he offered to go as a guide to the Spaniards, if they would come with a thousand men — and they might hang him, if they found he told them lies. The Spaniards' hopes were greatly raised : they baptized Comogras by the name of Charles, in honour of the King of Spain, and returned to Darien, where they found Valdivia, who had returned in a small vessel, and a promise that plenty of provisions should be sent them very soon, and a supply of men.