The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-11-23
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Charleston Courier.
THE DAGGER AND THE SMILE.

THE DAGGER AND THE SMILE.
Extract from " The Damsel of Darien,'
by Mr.. Simms, author Of /" Guy Rives," &c.
to bepublished by Lea a. Blanchard
For three days Vaseo Nunez gave himself
up to all the delights inspired by his new ST.
tuation at Darien, and every hour Of increased
converse afforded him new promises of hap
piness in the contemplated connexion With
Teresa. That capricious beauty maintained,
in all this time. the most equable humility Of
temper and whatever doubts her lover might
have entertained before, in regard to the love
she bore him, were all dissipated by the gentle
confidence which she now bestowed upon him,
and the devoted pleasure which she seemed
to feel in his society. But the pressing emer-
gences of his settlement at Acla, demanded
the attention of the adventurer in that quarter,
and as the marriage was appointed to take
place at a remoter period, it became necessa-
ny that he should forego the happiness, how
ever great, which he felt in Darien, and hurry
away to the scene of his labors. This he did
with reluctance easier imagined than des-
cribed; and his regrets at. separation were
only surpassed by those of the maiden Ten
der and frequently repeated. were the assn
RANGES which she gave him of lasting fidelity
and warmest love; and whatever may have
been his sorrows at parting with so dear an
object, they were all softened by the fond con-
viction that she was at length securely his
that his period of probation would soon be
over, and he, who, long baffled in all respects,
had at length triumphed over fame and fortune,
should at length be followed by no less sue
cess ii his labors in the field of love.
The new feelings Of hope and love ava
kened IN his bosom by meeting with Teresa,
could now, separated from the object Of his
attachment, be Quoted by employment oaly :;
and his first care on reaching Acla, was to
get in readiness for transportation over the
mountains Of the sthmus the materials of the
four brigantines which he intended to launch
into the great south sea- The timber was
felled and hewn upon the Atlantic sea-board
then, with the anchors and rigging, carried by
human labor over the land. The only roads
were Indian paths, which meandered through
forests almost impervious, across swollen tor
rents, through rugged defiles, and along the
sides OF dangerous precipces. The laborers
were chiefly Indians and negroes. The Spa
niards, though more hardy than their employ
ers. of better muscle, and better capable of
bearing fatigue, were yet few in number
Together, however, with hearty good will,
they toiled forward with their massive burdens
ascending with slow steps the bronze-likc
mountains, under the glaring fervour of
tropical sun. Many of them persisted on
their way, but the genius and perseverance of
'asco Nunez triumphed in the end, and after
a thousand delays and disasters, which taskcd
all his patience 10 endure, and all his genius
to remedy, he had the proud satisfaction at
last OF launching upon the great ocean he had
discovered. Piece by piece had he carried
the materials for ships over wild ridge of
mountains, occupied by a savage people that
hung IN hostility around his footsteps and
amidst dangers, futigucs and privations, that
might well have daunted a less ardent shirt.
The exultation of his heart may be iancied by
the reader, when he found himself for the first
time upon the bosom of that wondrous ocean
and 10 the very pathway, perhaps, to no less
wondrous lands that lay along lis borders. -
None but Spaniards." says Herrera. with
pardonable boast, ''coud ever have conceived
or persisted in such an undertaking and no
commander in the new world but Vnsco M
nez could have conducted it to successful
ISSUE"
vi the cruize of Vasco Nunez in the south
ern sea, Of his visi, 10 the Pearl Islands. and
ms conquests over hitherto unknown as well
as known Indian tribes that rose in hostility
upon his path, il is not within our province TO
speak. These matters may be found in his
tory, and are already recorded by Irving in his