PART I
SOUTH AMERICAN FIGHTS AND FIGHTERS

PAGE
PANAMA AND THE KNIGHTS-ERRANT OF COLONIZATION
I. THE SPANISH MAIN	3
II. THE DON QUIXOTE OF DISCOVERERS AND HIS RIVAL	5
III. THE ADVENTURES OF OJEDA	10
IV. ENTER ONE VASCO NUÑEZ DE BALBOA	17
V. THE DESPERATE STRAITS OF NICUESA	20

PANAMA, BALBOA AND A FORGOTTEN ROMANCE
I. THE COMING OF THE DEVASTATOR	31
II. THE GREATEST EXPLOIT SINCE COLUMBUS'S VOYAGE	34
III. "FUROR DOMINI"	42
IV. THE END OF BALBOA	44

PERU AND THE PIZARROS
I. THE CHIEF SCION OF A FAMOUS FAMILY	53
II. THE TERRIBLE PERSISTENCE OF PIZARRO	57
III. "A COMMUNISTIC DESPOTISM"	68
IV. THE TREACHEROUS AND BLOODY MASSACRE OF CAXAMARCA	73
V. THE RANSOM AND MURDER OF THE INCA	85
VI. THE INCA AND THE PERUVIANS STRIKE VAINLY FOR FREEDOM	93
VII. "THE MEN OF CHILI" AND THE CIVIL WARS	102
VIII. THE MEAN END OF THE GREAT CONQUISTADOR	105
IX. THE LAST OF THE BRETHREN	108

THE GREATEST ADVENTURE IN HISTORY
I. THE CHIEF OF ALL THE SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE	115
II. THE EXPEDITION TO MEXICO	120
III. THE RELIGION OF THE AZTECS	125
IV. THE MARCH TO TENOCHTITLAN	130
V. THE REPUBLIC OF TLASCALA	138
VI. CORTES'S DESCRIPTION OF MEXICO	147
VII. THE MEETING WITH MONTEZUMA	162
VIII. THE SEIZURE OF THE EMPEROR	171
IX. THE REVOLT OF THE CAPITAL	174
X. IN GOD'S WAY	177
XI. THE MELANCHOLY NIGHT	182
XII. THE SIEGE AND DESTRUCTION OF MEXICO	194
XIII. A DAY OF DESPERATE FIGHTING	198
XIV. THE LAST MEXICAN	215
XV. THE END OF CORTES	218

PART II
OTHER TALES OF ADVENTURE

THE YARN OF THE "ESSEX," WHALER

231

SOME FAMOUS AMERICAN DUELS	245
I. A TRAGEDY OF OLD NEW YORK	246
II. ANDREW JACKSON AS A DUELLIST	248
III. THE KILLING OF STEPHEN DECATUR	251
IV. AN EPISODE IN THE LIFE OF JAMES BOWIE	252
V. A FAMOUS CONGRESSIONAL DUEL	254
VI. THE LAST NOTABLE DUEL IN AMERICA	256

THE CRUISE OF THE "TONQUIN"

261

JOHN PAUL JONES	281
I. THE BIRTH OF THE AMERICAN NAVY	283
II. JONES FIRST HOISTS THE STARS AND STRIPES	284
III. THE BATTLE WITH THE "SERAPIS"	285
IV. A HERO'S FAMOUS SAYINGS	287
V. WHAT JONES DID FOR HIS COUNTRY	288
VI. WHY DID HE TAKE THE NAME OF JONES	289
VII. A SEARCH FOR HISTORICAL EVIDENCE	292
VIII. THE JONESES OF NORTH CAROLINA	296
IX. PAUL JONES NEVER A MAN OF WEALTH	297

IN THE CAVERNS OF THE PITT

301

BEING A BOY OUT WEST

315

INDEX

335