The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-11-30

due these new-come Spaniards to their
hands. 1t was not long before malig-
nant fever broke out among the adven-
turers, which carried off third part of
their number One comfort only was left
them; the friars continued every day to
perform mass in place where all the suf-
ferers could hear it; and no person died
without performing and receiving all the
Offices which the Romish church has en-
joined. Correa himself sank under the
disease. He might possibly have escaped
it, acclimated as he was, if he had not o.
vertasked himself, when food was to be
sought from distance, and carried hea-
Wy loads to spare those who were less G.
quail to the labor For now the crafty
Indians no longer brought supplies, but
left the weakened Spaniards to provide
for themselves as they could, and when
Correa was dead, of whom as man ac-
customed to Indian war, they stood in
fear, they collected their forces, and fell
upon the Spaniards, who apprehended no
danger, and were most of them incapable
of making any defence. The plan ap-
pears 70 have been concerted with young
Indian chief, who accompanied the Span
iards under pretenco of friendship, and
the women whom the Indians brought
with them to carry home the spoilS of
their enemies, bore their part with stones
and stakes in the easy slaughter. The
Spanards who escaped the first attack
fed with all speed, some without weapons,
and some without strength to use them. -
The friars were the last to fly. With the
soldiers to protect them they brought off
their portable altar, two crosses and a
cruc6x. No attempt at assistance was
made, except when fugitive fell by the
way. The word then passed fo- one of
the fathers; some soldiers stood with their
muskets to protect him while he hastily
confessed and absolved the poor wretch,
, whom his countrymen then commended
to God, and left to the mercy of the In
dians
In some places the enemy set fire to the
grass and shrubbery which in that climate
grows with extreme luxuriauce, by which
means many of this miserable expedition
peri>hcd Not quite thirty out of the
whole number got safe back to the towr
OF St. Thomas. That place was in de-
plorable state, suffering at once from {
/, contagious disease and from scarcity o.
provisions. To add to the distress about
hundred persons more had just arrived
from Trinidad. They came of necessity
for there were no longer supplies of fooC
at Trinidad, to sustain them. But they
came with high-raised hopes, only repiu
ing at their i'll luck in not having been il
the first expedition, by which they sup
posed the first spoilS OF Eldorado had al
ready been shared. They arrived like
skeletons at city of death. Not only were
provisions scarce, but the supply of sal
had altogether failed, and without it
health in that climate cannot be preser
we'd. To add to their misery, the shoe
had all been consumed, and the countr,
was infested by that insect (the chigua)
; which burrows in the feet, and attack
the flesh whever the slightest wound give
it access. The torment occasioncd b,
these insects was such that the men will
ingly submitted to the only remedy the.
> knew Of, and had the sores cauterize,
with hot iron,
, Among those who had come from Spai
E to enter upon this land of promise, ther
e was 'beata' or pious woman, who ha
t been attached to convent in Madrid, an
=. accompanied a married daughter and he
e husband on this unhappy adventure, an
devoted herself to the service of the sick
Sone of the women and she among then
!. looking upon the governor, Berrio, as tn
o cause of their miscrics, and thinking tha
as long as he lived, there was no hope {
~ their escaping from this fatal place, re
+ solved to murder him, and provided them
$ selves with knives for the purpose. Ih
4 indignation against him was so gener;
, that they hestated not to impart their dc
a sign to one of the friars, and luckily fc
!, Berro, be interposcd his influence to pre-
- vent it. One of the women who had sol
: her possessions in Spain to join the exp'
= dition, made her way to the governc
when the officers and friars were wit
h him. and emptying upon the ground b
lc fore him bag which contained one hui
" d,ed and fifty doubloons, said, Tyran
l. take what is left, since you have brougl
,r US here to de- Berrio replied, with le
Is of anger than of distress in his count
y nance, Il gave no orders to Domingo
t. Vera that he should bring more tina
re three hundred men, He offered no o.
position to the departure ofsuch as woul
e. Many who had strength or resolution
le nough, trusted themselves to the river
IN such canoes as they could find, witho
ie boatmen or pilot, aud endeavored to nal
ut their way back to Trinidad; some pcris
of ing by the hands of the natives, others
% drowning, others by hunger on the marsl
- shores which they reached. Vera so'
IT, died of painful disease in Trinidad, al
ee Berrio did not long survive him. Su
of was the issue of this great attempt for t
H. conquest Of the golden empire; of whicI
he says an old Spanish historian, 1T may
he said that it was like Nebuchadnezza
on image, beginning in gold, but continnl
a L al 11jl ~ opHnU