Part 3 (2/2)

These savannahs are full of birds, and the brilliant h's ad to Sir Robert Schok, of hare soup Their pilot now persuaded thealley in the ht hand, which would bring theoose chase they ascended the side-stream for fortyback with them towards the Gulf of Paria They felt that the Indian was tricking the his They had found an Indian village, and here they rested well, and had plenty of food and drink Upon this new river they were char down to the water's brink, and Raleigh describes the scene as though it reminded him of his own park at Sherborne They were alarro, who leaped into the river froht

Next day they regained the great river, and their anxious coether, and were fortunate enough to meet with four Indian canoes laden with excellent bread The Indians ran away and left their possessions, and Raleigh's dreams of mineral wealth were excited by the discovery of what he took to be a 'refiner's basket, for I found in it his quicksilver, saltpetre, and divers things for the trial of metals, and also the dust of such ore as he had refined' He was old, but was prevented by a phenomenon which he mentions incidentally, but which has done much to prove the reality of his narrative He says that all the little creeks which ran towards the Orinoco 'were raised with such speed, as if aded the outward, ere covered to the shoulders hok found exactly the same to be the case when he explored Guiana in 1843

They pushed on therefore along the dreary river, and on the fifteenth day had the joy of seeing straight before them far away the peaks of Peluca and Paisapa, the summits of the Imataca mountains which divide the Orinoco fro northerly wind, they careat Orinoco itself, and anchored in it a little to the east of the present settleain They feasted on the eggs of the freshwater turtles which they found in thousands on the sandy islands, and they gazed with rapture on the mountains to the south of them which rose out of the very heart of Guiana A friendly chieftain carried thehtful spelling of the age, 'soaroused of his wine till they were reasonable pleasant,' this wine being probably the cassivi or ferh's especial credit that in an age when great license was custoes, he strictly prohibited histhe Indian women His just admiration of the fair Caribs, however, was quite enthusiastic:

The casique that was a stranger had his wife staying at the port where we anchored, and in all my life I have seldoood stature, with black eyes, fat of body, of an excellent countenance, and taking great pride therein I have seen a lady in England so like her, as but for the difference of colour I would have sworn ht have been the sa so little just understanding of the geography of South Ah up the river they would come out on the other side of the continent at Quito It has been noticed that Raleigh passed close to the Spanish settlement of Guayana Vieja, which Berreo had founded four years before Perhaps it was by this tione by it without seeing it More probably, however, its existence interfered with his theory that all this territory was untouched by Europeans, and therefore open to be annexed in the na up the Orinoco, he came at last to what he calls 'the port of Morequito,' where he made some stay, and enjoyed the luxury of pine-apples, which he styles 'the princess of fruits' He was also introduced to that pleasing beast the armadillo, whose powers and functions he a little misunderstood, for he says of it, 'it seemeth to be all barred over with s in his hinder parts, like unto a hunting horn, which they use to wind instead of a tru-horn was the stiff tail of the arh warned the peaceful and friendly inhabitants of Morequito against the villanies of Spain, and recoland to them as a safe protector He then pursued his westerly course to an island which he calls Caiama, and which is now named Fajardo, which was the farthest point he reached upon the Orinoco This island lies at the reat southern artery of the watershed, and Raleigh's final expedition was reat cataract, now named Salto Caroni, and his description of this noble natural wonder may be quoted as a favourable instance of his style, and as the crown of his geographical enterprise:

When we ran to the tops of the first hills of the plains adjoining to the river, we behold that wonderful breach of waters, which ran down Caroli [Caroni]; and ht from that mountain see the river how it ran in three parts, above twenty miles off, and there appeared soh over the other as a church tohich fell with that fury that the rebound of waters reat shower of rain; and in some places we took it at the first for a sreat town For mine own part, I ell persuaded fro a very ill footo near the said strange thunder of waters, that they drew me on by little and little, till we caht better discern the same I never saw a more beautiful country, nor more lively prospects, hills so raised here and there over the valleys, the river winding into divers branches, the plains adjoining without bush or stubble, all fair green grass, the ground of hard sand easy toin every path, the birds towards the evening singing on every tree with a thousand several tunes, cranes and herons of white, cri on the river's side, the air fresh with a gentle easterly wind, and every stone that we stooped to take up proold or silver by his complexion

The last touch spoils an exquisite picture It is at once dispiriting to find so intrepid a geographer and so acute a old, and pathetic to know that his hopes in this direction were absolutely unfounded The white quartz of Guiana, the 'hard white spar' which Raleigh describes, confessedly contains gold, although, as far as is at present known, in quantities so s Huold led him to believe that, 'like tin, it is sometimes disseranite rocks itself, without our being able to ad of sot hold of unusually rich specimens of the sparse auriferous quartz He was accused on his return of having brought his speciested that they did not contain gold No doubtdust he saw in the rocks was simply iron pyrites, or some other of the minerals which to this day are known to the wise in California as 'fool's gold' His expedition had coh confesses that such specimens of ore as they did not buy froers or with their fingers

It has been custoh in the eighteenth century, to protest that gold was not his chief aim in the Guiana enterprise, but that his old, was to forland, and to open out the west to general commerce With every wish to hold this view, I a evidence

More huent than any of the adventurers who had preceded hih was less insanely bitten with the gold fever than any of them He saw the fleets of Spain return to Europe year after year laden with precious e did, the power of this tide of gold

He conceived that no one would steerous influence of Spain until the stream of wealth was diverted or divided He says in the e that it is not the trade of Spain, her exports of wines and Seville oranges and other legitimate produce, that threatens shi+pwreck to us all; 'it is his Indian gold that endangereth and disturbeth all the nations of Europe; it purchased intelligence, creepeth into councils, and setteth bound loyalty at liberty in the greatest h's exploration of Guiana, his steadfast hope, the hope which led hiht secure for Elizabeth a vast auriferous colony, the proceeds of which ht rival the revenues of Mexico and Peru But wehim to have been so wise before his tiht paralyse a selfish power like that of Spain would consist in the cereals and other products which such a colonythe friendly Indians in the heart of the strange country to which he had penetrated, Raleigh becanorance and his pardonable credulity Not only was he gulled with diamonds and sapphires that were really rock-crystals, but he was made to believe that there existed west of the Orinoco a tribe of Indians whose eyes were in their shoulders, and their mouths in the middle of their breasts He does not pretend that he saw such folks, however, or that he enjoyed the advantage of conversing with any of the Ewaipanoma, or men without heads, or of that other tribe, 'who have es, and live all the day-tie' Of all these he speaks from modest hearsay, and less confidently than Othello did to Desdes, but it is no less than just to distinguish very carefully bethat he repeats and what he reports

For the former we have to take the evidence of his interpreters, who but dih cannot be held personally responsible; for the latter, the testik, is that Raleigh's narrative, where he does not fall into obvious and easily intelligible error, is remarkably clear and sienuineness

They had now been absent froive up all hope of being able on this occasion to reach the city of Manoa The fury of the Orinoco began to alarht happen in a country subject to such sudden and phenomenal floods Tropical rains fell with terrific violence, and the et wetted to the skin ten times a day It was cold, it indy, and to push on farther seeh therefore deterlided down the vast river at a rapid pace, without need of sail or oar At Morequito, Raleigh sent for the old Indian chief, Topiawari, who had been so friendly to him before, and had a sole out all other persons but the interpreter, he told hied hiainst the Epuremi, a native race which had oppressed him, if Topiaould in his turn act in Guiana for the Queen of England To this the old h to push on, if not for Manoa, at least for Macureguarai, a rich city full of statues of gold, that was but four days' journey farther on This, Raleigh, in consideration of the sufferings of his followers, declined to do, but he consented to an odd exchange of hostages, and pro year to make a better equipped expedition to Manoa He carried off with him the son of Topiawari, and he left behind at Morequito a boy called Hugh Goodwin To keep this boy co man named Francis Sparrey volunteered to stay also; he was a person of some education, who had served with Captain Gifford

Goodwin had a fancy for learning the Indian language, and when Raleigh found hiotten his English He was at last devoured by a jaguar Sparrey, who 'could describe a country with his pen,' was captured by the Spaniards, taken to Spain, and after long sufferings escaped to England, where he published an account of Guiana in 1602 Sparrey is chiefly re woe, for a red-hafted knife, which in England had cost hih left hie

As they passed down the Orinoco, they visited a lake where Raleigh saw that extraordinary creature the manatee, half cow, half whale; and a little lower they saw the colu like the tower of a church, over the huge cascades of the crystal e of a chieftain within earshot of those thundering waters, they witnessed one of the wild drinking feasts of the Indians, ere 'all as drunk as beggars, the pots walking froent led by Captain Key of friends, they passed over to the island of assapana, now called Yayo, in the middle of the Orinoco, and they enjoyed a feast of the flesh of ar day, increased cold and violent thunderstorms reminded them that the autumn was far spent, and they determined to return as quickly as possible to the sea Their pilots told them, however, that it was out of the question to try to descend the River of the Red Cross, which they had ascended, as the current would baffle them; and therefore they attempted what is now called the Macareo channel, farther east Raleigh names this stream the Capuri

They had no further adventures until they reached the sea; but as they ereat storht close under shore with their salley as near as they could The latter, however, very nearly sank, and Raleigh was puzzled what to do A bar of sand ran across the mouth of the river, covered by only six feet of water, and the galley drew five

The longer he hesitated, the worse the weather grew, and therefore he finally took Captain Gifford into his own barge, and thrust out to sea, leaving the galley anchored by the shore 'So being all very sober and e, it pleased God that the next day, about nine of the clock, we descried the island of Trinidad, and steering for the nearest part of it, we kept the shore till we came to Curiapan, where we found our shi+ps at anchor, than which there was never to us a ht'

In spite of the hardshi+ps of the journey, the constant wettings, the bad water and insufficient food, the lodging in the open air every night, he had only lost a single ator at the erous miasmata which often prove fatal to Europeans, but the interior of this part of South America is reported by later travellers to be no less wholesoh's absence his fleet had not lain idle at Trinidad

Captain Ae, deterainst the Spanish forces which Berreo had suan to harry the coast of Venezuela

On May 21 he appeared before the important town of cumana, but was persuaded to spare it froe sum by the inhabitants Captain Preston landed part of his crew here, and they crossed the country ard to Caracas, which they plundered and burned The fleet proceeded to Coro, in New Granada, which they treated in the sah found them at Curiapan when he came back to Trinidad, and with them he coasted once more the northern shore of South America He burned cumana, but was disappointed in his hopes of plunder, for he says, 'In the port towns of the province of Vensuello [Venezuela] we found not the value of one real of plate' The fact was that the repeated voyages of the English captains--and Drake was ih's steps--had ly wary The precious products were either stored in the hills, or shi+pped off to Spain without loss of tiland was performed without any publicity He stole home so quietly that so in so Mr Edwards, have dated his return in August, being led away by a stateh and Preston were sailing off the coast of Cuba in July This is incoh's fear of the rapid approach of winter while he was still in Guiana It would also be difficult to account for the entire absence of reference to hiland before the winter It is more likely that he found his way back into Falmouth or Dartmouth towards the end of October 1595 On Novelect which he had received He thought that coift for Elizabeth, the Queen would take hiain, but he was mistaken He writes to Cecil noainst a ruround about Guiana, and the interest which the Governht take in it 'What becomes of Guiana I much desire to hear, whether it pass for a history or a fable I hear Mr Dudley [Sir Robert Dudley]

and others are sending thither; if it be so, farewell all good froh myself, like a cocksob did rather prefer the future in respect of others, and rather sought to win the kings to her Majesty's service than to sack thely into their hands'

Meanwhile he had been writing an account of his travels, and on November 13, 1595, he sent a copy of this in ht be shown to Elizabeth In the interesting letter which acco supposed to have been lost, which was found by Mr St John in the archives of Sih's nah could hardly endure the disappointment of repulse He says, 'I know the like fortune was never offered to any Christian prince,' and losing his balance altogether in his extravagant pertinacity, he declares to Cecil that the city of Manoa contains stores of golden statues, not one of which can be worth less than 100,000_l_ If the English Government will not prosecute the enterprise that he has sketched out, Spain and France will shortly do so, and Raleigh, in the face of such apathy, 'concludes that we are cursed of God' Amid all this excite to be hu Cecil to i this enterprise' with cruelty; nor per any to proceed to Guiana whose object shall only be to plunder the Indians He sends Cecil an ae blush of carnation,'

and another stone, which 'if it be no diah now detere, and towards Christmas 1595 he published his famous volume, which bears the date 1596, and is entitled, after the leisurely fashi+on of the age, _The Discovery of the large, rich, and beautiful Empire of Guiana, with a Relation of the Great and Golden City of Manoa, which the Spaniards call El Dorado, and the Provinces of Emeria, Arromaia, A_ Of this volume two editions appeared in 1596, it was presently translated into Latin and published in Gerhout Europe There can be no doubt that Raleigh's outspoken hatred of Spain, expressed in this printed forround of e to that Power Froh was an enenore

The _Discovery of Guiana_ was dedicated to the Lord Admiral Howard and to Sir Robert Cecil, with a reference to the support which the author had found in their love 'in the darkest shadow of adversity' There was probably soratitude expressed to Cecil Already the relation of this cold-blooded statesraphers of the latter Cecil's letters to his father from Devonshi+re on the matter of the Indian carracks in 1592 are incoh's outspoken thanks to Cecil for the trial of his love when Raleigh was bereft of all but e, unless we suppose that these letters represented what Burghley would like to hear rather than what Robert Cecil actually felt In 1596 Burghley, in extreer to be taken into h had some hold of relationshi+p or old friendshi+p on Cecil, the exact nature of which it is not easy to understand At all events, as long as Raleigh could hold the favour of Cecil, the ear of her Majesty was not absolutely closed to him

The _Discovery_ possesses a value which is neither biographical nor geographical It holds a very pro the five years which had elapsed since Raleigh's last publication, English literature had been undergoing aand sympathised with every intellectual movement could not but be influenced by what had been written During those five years, Marloonderful career had been wound up like a melodrama Shakespeare had colish prose had been inaugurated by Hooker's _Ecclesiastical Polity_ Bacon was circulating the earliest of his _Essays_ What these giants of our language were doing for their own departh did for the literature of travel Aes, and discoveries, which were poured out so freely in this part of the reign of Elizabeth, most of them now only remembered because they were reprinted in the collections of Hakluyt and Purchas, this book of Raleigh's takes easily the foremost position In comparison with the bluff and dull narratives of the other discoverers, whose chief charrace and fullness of deliberate composition, of fine literary art, and as it was the first excellent piece of sustained travellers' prose, so it re without a second in our literature The brief exaraphy,pages