Darien colony of San Sebastian. After meeting with misfortune through shipwreck and hostile natives, and learning of the destruction and abandonment of the colony, they finally founded a town, which they called Santa Maria de la Antigua de Darien. Enciso forbade his men to trade with the natives, and was deposed by Balboa, who claimed that they were no longer within the boundaries of Ojeda's province, and hence owed his lieutenant no obedience. The settlement split into factions, and finally Enciso and Zamudio, the latter as Balboa's representative, were sent to Spain to lay their grievances before the king. In the meanwhile Balboa explored the country, gained the good will of the natives by his treatment of them, and was told of a sea that lay southward, and of a land where gold abounded (Peru). He was now commissioned as governor of Antigua by Admiral Diego Columbus; but, hearing from Spain that the king inclined to side with Enciso, he determined to discover the new sea of which he had heard, and so atone for his faults. He left Antigua for this purpose on 1 Sept., 1513, and after laboring on for many days amid tangled forests, up rugged heights, fighting the natives continually, until the explorers were exhausted, foot-sore, and famished, they ascended a mountain on the morning of the 25th, whence he saw the new sea. Balboa named it "Mar-del Sur," and took possession of it and all its coasts in the name of his royal master and mistress. Three days later he reached the beach at a place still known by the name he gave it, the gulf of San Miguel. After a short voyage of exploration and the collection of tribute from neighboring tribes, he set out for home, and reached Antigua in safety in January, 1514, after what must be considered a wonderful exploit when we take into account his small force and the almost insurmountable difficulties of the route. But Balboa's exploit was in vain. A new governor, Pedrarias, arrived at Antigua in the following June, and his predecessor was put on trial on various charges, lie was ;u(iuitted of the most serious, but was sentenced to pay a large fine. Soon after this the king of Spain, hearing of Balboa's great discovery, gave him a special commission to explore the shore of the "southern sea," and made him governor of Panama and Coyba. Pedrarias withheld this commission at first, but, becoming reconciled to Balboa, finally allowed him to begin preparations for his voyage, and promised him his daughter in marriage. Vessels were built, though with difficulty, on the Pacific side of the isthmus, and Balboa, after making a few unimportant discoveries, sent his friend Garabito to investigate a rumor that Pedrarias had been superseded. The rumor was untrue, and Garabito, proving a false friend, told the governor that Balboa had no idea of marrying his daughter, but intended to found for himself a government on the shores of the Pacific. Pedrarias was enraged at this, enticed Balboa within his grasp, and secured his conviction on a charge of treason, together with charges on which he had previously been acquitted. The next day Balboa with four of his companions was executed, protesting to the last his innocence and loyalty. See Quintana's "Vidas de Españoles celebres" (3 vols., 1807-34); Irving's "Voyages and Discoveries of the Companions of Columbus" (New York, 1831); and Winsor's "Narrative and Critical History of America" (Boston, 1884).
BALBUENA, Bernardo de (bahl-bwa'-na), Spanish poet, b. in Valdepenas in 1568 ; d. in Porto Rico in 1627. He was educated in Mexico,
became provost in Jamaica, and in 1620 bishop of
Porto Rico. He wrote "El Siglo de Oro" ("The Age of Gold"), a pastoral romance, the scene of which is laid in the new world; "La Grandeza Mejicana" (new ed.. 1821) ; and "El Bernardo" (8 vols., Madrid, 1624; new ed.. 1808), an epic, which is one of his most finished productions. He had a fine library, which was lost when the Dutch sacked Porto Rico in 1625.
BALCARRES, Alexander Lindsay, earl of, British soldier, b. in 1752; d. in London, 27 March. 1825. He was the eldest son of the fifth earl of Balcarres, whom he succeeded in 1767. He became an ensign in the 53d foot, and was made
major, 9 Dec, 1775. In this country he saw three
years of service under Carleton and Burgoyne. He
was present at the defeat of the Americans under
Gen. Thomson at Three Rivers, 1 June, 1776, and
commanded the light infantry at Ticonderoga and
at Hubbardton, Vt., 7 July, 1777. At the latter place
he was wounded, thirteen balls passing through his
clothes. On 19 Sept. he commanded the advanced
corps of the army on the heights of Saratoga, and
on the death of Gen. Eraser, 8 Oct., at Stillwater,
was made lieutenant-colonel of the 24th foot. He
became major-general in 1793, commander at Jamaica, lieutenant-governor of that island in 1794, lieutenant-general in 1798, and general in 1803.
BALCH, George Beall, naval officer, b. in Tennessee, 3 Jan., 1821. He was appointed a midshipman from Alabama, 30 Dec, 1837, and was as-
signed to the sloop " Cyane," of the Pacific squadron. He was promoted to passed midshipman, 29 June, 1843, and remained on special duty until the war with Mexico, when he was assigned to active duty, and engaged in the first attack on Alvarado by Com. Connor, 1 Nov., 1846. Throughout this war he was with the naval squadron, serving at the successful attack upon Vera Cruz and in the
"mosquito fleet" under Com. Tatnall. In 1849-'50 he was at the naval observatory, Washington, and was promoted lieutenant, 16 Aug., 1850. While with the sloop "Plymouth," in the Pacific squadron, he was wounded during a fight between Chinese imperialists and rebels, and from this date until the outbreak of the civil war he was on duty with the various home and foreign squadrons. In 1860, while in command of the frigate "Sabine," he fell in with the U. S. transport "Governor" in a sinking condition, and rescued nearly 400 marines under Lieut.-Col. Reynolds, the transport sinking just after the transfer was made. In 1861-'2 he was in
command of the "Pocahontas," in the south Atlantic squadron, and volunteered to command boats taking possession of Tybee island. Commissioned as commander, 16 July, 1862, he was actively engaged along the South Atlantic coast, and effectively cooperated with the land forces on various occasions, especially on 16 July, 1862, when, in command of the "Pawnee," he repelled an attack by two batteries of artillery. In this affair the "Pawnee" was struck forty-six times. While in command of this vessel. Commander Balch captured
two confederate guns, and was engaged in the combined operations of the navy under Rear Admiral Dahlgren and the army under Gen. Foster in Stone river, and on 9 Feb., 1865, with two other vessels ascended Togoda creek, S. C, and silenced three batteries. On 25 July, 1866, he was promoted captain. He was with the North Atlantic squadron in 1868-'9, and on shore duty at Washington until 1872. He became commodore 13 Aug., 1872, rear admiral 5 June, 1878, and was superintendent of the naval academy until 1880, when he went on his last cruise, terminating in January, 1883, and was placed on the retired list, having attained the limit of age for active service.
