Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-03-16

,;ves through the forcs.. IN the dusk of the ev-
eninu thew arrived at a village called furbaco,
the inhabitants of which had He'd to the noun.
tains with their wives and children and princi-
ma, effects. The Spaniards. imagining that the
indians were completely terrified and dispersed,
now royed in Quest of booty among the deserted
houses. which stood distant from each other, burt
cd anorp the trees. While they were thus
scattered, troops of savages rushed lorth' WIN
furious wells. from all parts OF the CREST
The Spaniards endeavored to gather together
and support each other, but every little party was
surrounded by a host of fnes. They fought With
DESPERATE bravery; but for once their valor and
their iron armor were of no avail, they were over
whelmed by numbers. and sank beneath war
clubs and poisoned arrows. Ojeda on the first
alarm collected a few soldiers. aud ensconced HIM
self within a small enclosure. surrounded by pa
lisades. Here he was closely beslcsed. and gall
ed bv flights of arrows. He threw himself on
his knees. covered himself with his buck'cr, and
being small and active. managed To project HIN
self from the deadly shower; but all his compa-
Mons were slain by his side some OF them persia
inc in frishtful agonies. At this fearful m"meii
the veteran La Cosa, having heard of the peril II
his commander, arrived with a few followers. to
his assistance. Statiuning himself at the gate ol
the palisades, the brave Biscayan kept the ga
wages at bay until most OF his men were slam,
and he himself was severely wounded. Just then
Oieda sprang forth like a tiger into the midst OF
the enemy, dealing his blows on every side. La
Cosa would have seconded him, but he was GRIP
pled by his wounds. He took refuge with the
remnant Of his men i'll an Indian cabin; the straw
| roof of which he aided them to throw Oft, east the
49, I.Il -. :, 49,, e., L., ho lnE,pIa
himself until all his comrades, but one were de-
stroyed. The subtle poison of his wounds at
length ov~erpowered him, aud he sank to the
ground. Feeling death at hand. he called to his
only surviving companion. Brother, said he
since God hath protected thee from harm. sally
forth and hy, and if thou shouldst see AlonZo de
Oieda. tell him of nv fate!.' Thus fell the bar
DIV Juan de la Cosa, faithful and devoted to the
very last: nor can we refrain from pausing to pay
a passing tribute to lis memory. lie was ac-
knowledge ed by his contemporaries to be one of
the ablest of those gallant Spanish navlgators who
first explored the way to the New World. But
it is by the honest and kindly qualities of his
heart that his memory is most endcared to US; i,
is, above all, by that loyalty and friendship dis
PLAYED in this his last aud fatal expedition. -
Warmed by his attachment for a more youthful
and a hot-headed adventurer; we see this wary
veteran of the seas forgetting his usual prudence
and the lessons Of his experience, and embarklng
heart and hand, purse and person, IN the wild en-
~terprises of his ~fayorite. We behold him watch
ing over him as a parent, demonstrating with him
as a counsellor, but fighting by him as u partisan;
following him. without hesitation, into known
and needless danger. to certain death itself, and
showing no other solicitude in his dying moments,
but To be remembered BY his friend.
Ojeda alone escaped; and afterwards being
Joined by Niceusa, took a terrible revenge on the
unfortunate natives.
..The two governors, no longer rivals. landed
four hundred of their men and several horses,
and set of with all speed for the fatal village
They approached it in the night. and dividing
their forces into two parties, gave order that not
an Indian should be taken alive. The village
was buried in deep sleep. but the woods were hll-
ed with large parrots, which, being awakened,
made a prodisious clamOr. The Indians. how
ever, thinking the Spaniards all destroyed, paid
no attention to these noises. 1t was not until
their houses were assailed and wrapped in flames,
that they took the alarm. They rushed forth
some with arms, some weaponless, but were re-
ceived at the doors by the exasperated Spaniards,
and either slain on the spot, or driven back into
the fire. Women fed wildly forth with children
in their arms: but at sight of the Spaniards gilt
tering in steel. and of the horses, witch they sup
posed ravenous monsters, they ran back. shrek
ing with horror, into their burning habitatlons.-
Great was the carnage, for no quarter was shcwn
to age or sex. Many persisted BY the fire, and
many by the sword. When they had fully glut-
ted their vengeance. the SpanIards ranged about
for booty. While thus employed, they found the
BODY of the unfortunate Juan de la Cosa. 1t was
tied to a tree. but swoln and discolOred in a hi
deous manner by the poison of the arrows with
which he had been slain. This dismal spectacle
had such an effect upon the common men, not one
would remain in that place during the night
Having sacked the village, therefore, they left it
a smoking ruin, and returned in triumph to their
ships
Copy ETA letter from a paiuedf riendto The Editors
Of the United States Gazette, daied
WAsHINGroN, March 10, 1881.
The session OF the Supreme Court will termi-
nate next week. 1t has been one of unusual in.
terest as many great questions Of constitutional
and general law, have been presented and decid-
ed in the cases which have been dismissed of. others