The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-08-02

1
subjects. Yet, the wild fowl which sped along
the shore before his footsteps, or sprang alott,
wheeling in slow gyrations overhead, as he
drew nigh their ccveits, might he made to lee
his authority as well as 10 minister to his wants.
He could parsecutr, punish and destroy them'
quite as certainly, and certainly with less dan.
ger to HIMSELF than they were OF his own spe
cies; and sense of fierce delight at this con.
scinusness Of his power to do mischief, was
grateful TO bis heart, as it always is 10 that OF the
being who is himself peculiarly sensible TO the
influences Of fear. He was beginning to re-
gard with complacency condition from which
there was no escape. A thousand years might
elapse, as Velasqnez had Indignantly assured
him. without suffering the prows of any Euro.
pean vessel to approach so nearly to his islet as
to discover the existence of its lone possessor.
He 4rt,lstmake the most of that existence. He
must hoard, must economize his resources, as
we'll Of thought and enjoy men', as of covering
and load. Heiimus. not destroy his subjects sim.
| ply to exercise his authority. His power must
lie sparingIy indulged for his own sake and safe.
ty. He laid aside his guitar with care and ten
derness, projecting it from hurt and exposure,
by hanging it beneatt the friendly palm trees
where he had passed the night. In the first
paroxysm of his despair and madness, conscious
that his dangerous but delightful insIrumen, was
connected with his present srffrrings, he was
about to dash il upon The bleak sands aud tram.
pie il under foot or cast il from him into the en-
gulphing and surrounding sea. He knew moi,
himself why he forehore to do so. Some ten.
der recollection in his thought procured its safe.
L % ,rhf cfa fn
| him in his wreiched exile; and the desperate
passion which might have destroyed it, was re.
strained Yet bitter were the tears that he
shed over it, az. arousing from the sw"nn that
followed the departure of the vessel from his
eyes. he found the cruel memorial still al'ont
his rNck, where il had brcn hung by the mock.
ing hands Of his enemy. With The subdued
temper that followed the first feeling ofhl> de.
spair, The instrument became dOubly precious
as i, not on v spoke of future solace, hut remind
ed him of former enioymens. II constituted
one ofthe few moral links which connected him
still with the great family of man. He lacked
the courage TO part with any OF his treasures,
and the care with which he secreted bis favor
ite ins,rnmen, beneath the palm trees. was that
of the tender mother, who leaves her infant for
a while. soIictnus of its comfort even while she
has no fears for its safety; and sometimes lonk.
ing back, not with any hope to see, but Thai her
eyes involnn,arily yedlhemselves olhe course
indicated by her heart.
This charge disposed of, Lopez de Levya
srasped his spear with much martial dignity
as he could command. He felt for his knife at
his sirdle, hc sung the crossbow over his should.
er, and. ready for any event. he sailed forth TO
explore bis empire. But though his territory
was small one, such as an adventurous spirit
would have traversed wholly. and surveyed thor.
oughly, in the course of a single day, our Ma.
room was quite too fmid, too cautious in his foot
steps. no, TO make it work of longer time
Several days were necessary to bis examination.
H. proceeded slowly. and winding he"dfuly
about, and probing every copse before he pen.
etra.ed it. he first assured himself against any
possible danger from secret foes, before he
made his search satisfactory. His domain was
equally ample and compact; not wanting in
variety. but having its elevations of rock, and
| lis valley of verdure and its long wastes and
stretches of sand, in comparatively y close ccm.
pass. The isIcl was not. as il had been thought
by Velasquez, mere series of sand hills, ra's.
| I'd rip by the sea, the creation Of its own con-
| tending bil.0ws. II was solid rock, whose
| gradual ascent, nowhere rising into more than
a very gentle elevation, admitted Of The easy
accumulation of sand and soil, which. in process
Of time, had, in various places, received GOV.
erng Of very green and beautiful vegetaton.-
The shrubhery was rather close than lnily.-
Among the trees were the plantain, the cocoa.
nut. the breadfruit and the banana. The pine
apple grew in gold and purple, unobserved by
man and slender vines, which shot out from
the knoted and ancient bulbs. from crevices OF
the rock, ran wan,ony over the sides ot sudden
hilocks. which they garnshed with blue Gus.
lers of the grape. Verify. onr musician had an
empire in truth. Velasquez little dreamed OF
the treasure he had given away in his malice.
The sterile islet princiPality of fairy land,
and Lopez de Levya grew more and more re-.
conclIed To life as he behpld the wealth which
lay scattered around him. His possessions were
beyond his wants. Nature had made ample
provision, and millions might have been found
among the needy and oppressed children of E'.
rope, to whom lf. of exile and isolation in
such an abode, would have been the most ac.
cep,able boon of heaven. Nor were these veg:
etable possessions all that came to Lopez with
his empire. Tribes of small wild animals wan
toned before his footsteps, scarcely seeming to
fear his presence and The nimble little marrno.
zet ot the tropics with petly playful mischief