Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/582

562 Continuing their journey toward the north, they were one day overtaken by a band of Indians who came from a province which lay some distance out of their course, and, presenting the Spaniards with thirty large gold plates, weighing 14,000 pesos, they invited them to visit their chief, who would give them a much larger amount. They also begged Vasco Nuñez to assist them in subjugating a powerful neighbor, whose riches were very great. During their homeward march, gold had accumulated so rapidly, that they were unable to carry both their treasure and a sufficient quantity of provisions. Although they had Indians in abundance to act as beasts of burden, yet each man was not able to carry more than two days' supply in addition to his load of metal. They endured, therefore, intense suffering.

Descending the northern declivities of the mountains, they rested at a village, the cacique of which was called Pocorosa, who gave them gold valued at 1,500, pesos, at the same time informing them of a neighbor named Tumanamá, whom Vasco Nuñez with seventy men surprised by night and took prisoner with his eighty wives and gold to the value of 9,000 pesos. Not long after he was released, when he collected within a few days ninety marks of gold and gave it to Balboa. Being asked where this gold was found, Tumanamá, refused to answer, fearful that if the locality was made known to the Spaniards they would never leave his dominions. It was ascertained by trial, however, that the soil in the vicinity was richly impregnated, and Vasco Nuñez determined to establish there a fort for the protection of mining and commerce between the two seas. Continuing their way toward the north, the Spaniards arrived at the village of Comagre. The old chief was dead, and Panciaco succeeded to the honors and dignities of his father. He received Vasco Nuñez with great joy, presented him with gold to the value of 2,000 pesos, and received in return a linen shirt and some trinkets, with which he