THE PARTITION OF AMERICA We have hitherto been dealing with the discoveries made by Spanish and Portuguese along the coast of the New World, but early in the sixteenth century they began to put foot on _terra firma_ and explore the interior.

As early as 1513 Vasco Nunez de Balboa ascended the highest peak in the range running from the Isthmus of Panama, and saw for the first time by European eyes the great ocean afterwards to be named by Magellan the Pacific.

He there heard that the country to the south extended without end, and was inhabited by great nations, with an abundance of gold.

Among his companions who heard of this golden country, or El Dorado, was one Francisco Pizarro, who was destined to test the report.

But a similar report had reached the ears of Diego Velasquez, governor of Cuba, as to a great nation possessed of much gold to the north of Darien.