THE
COMPANIONS
OF C O L U M B U S .
141
CHAPTER H. EXPEDITION
TO
COTBA.
VASCO
NUNEZ RECEIVES
THE
DAUGHTER OP A CACIQUE AS HOSTAGE.
V A S C O NUNEZ now exerted himself to prove his capacity for the government to which he had aspired ; and as he knew that no proof was more convincing to King Ferdinand than ample remit足 tances, and that gold covered all sins in the New "World, his first object was to discover those parts of the country which most abounded in the precious metals.
Hearing exaggerated reports
of the riches of a province about thirty leagues distant, called Coyba, he sent Francisco Pizarro with six men to explore it. The cacique Zemaco, the native lord of Darien, who cherished a bitter hostility against the European intruders, and hovered with his warriors about the settlement, received notice of this detach足 ment from his spies, and planted himself in ambush to waylay and destroy it.
The Spaniards had scarcely proceeded three leagues
along the course of the river when a host of savages burst upon them from the surrounding thickets, uttering frightful yells, and discharging showers of stones and arrows.
Pizarro and his men,
though sorely bruised and wounded, rushed into the thickest of the foe, slew many, wounded more, and put the rest to flight ; but fearing another assault, made a precipitate retreat, leaving one of their companions, Francisco Hernan, disabled on the field. They arrived at the settlement crippled and bleeding ; but when Vasco Nunez heard the particulars of the action, his anger was roused against Pizarro, and he ordered him, though wounded, to return immediately and recover the disabled man.
" Let it not be said,