Vasco Nunez de Balboa was born in [G 02 / Castile] in 1475. Although not of a particularly noble heritage, Balboa nevertheless dreamt of one day becoming a [G 03 / conquistador] and explorer. In 1500, at the tender age of 25, he joined an exploration of the South American coast with Rodrigo de Bastidas (a man who spent most of his life in search of treasure). When de Bastidas decided to return home after what became a fruitless expedition, Balboa chose to stay and settled on the small island of Hispaniola (Haiti).
Following a brief period there, where he unsuccessfully attempted to farm, Balboa moved to what is today known as [M 001 / Colombia] (it is claimed he was wanted by creditors and escaped as a stowaway on another ship). He joined a small and troubled Spanish settlement on the Colombian side of the isthmus which was under constant attack from aggressive Indians and afflicted with dreadful tropical diseases. After assuming leadership of the community, he encouraged them all to move to Darien on the otherside of the isthmus (in Panama today). Life proved considerably easier as the Indians were less hostile, and it was not long before the settlement began to thrive. As a reward, in 1511 Balboa was named interim governor of Darien by the King of Castile. However, this was short lived as [L3 201 / petty jealousy and unfair accusations] from fellow administrators had instilled in the king a mistrust for the explorer.
From this settlement, he began his many expeditions into the untamed frontier of the disease-infested jungle. He both cajoled and tortured Indians in his search for treasure and slaves -they did not stand a chance against the Spanish artillery- and it was not long before he had amassed vast quantities of gold. But more importantly, he learned from the Indian chiefs that there was a sea on the south shore of the isthmus. Independently, he set out in search of it and on September 27, 1513, was the first European ever to see the Pacific Ocean, "standing silent on a peak in Darien."
