The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-11-23

as q church tower" He was informed
that the lake from which the river issued
was above days journey for one of their
canoes to cross, which he computed at
about forty miles that many rivers fall
into it, and great store of grains of gold
was found in those rivers. On one of
these rivers he was told nation of peo-
pie dwell, whose heads appear not above
their shoulders )" which, he says, though
it may be thou ght mere fable, yet for
my own part, l am resolved it is true,
because every child in those provinces
affirm the same. They are reported TO
have their eyes in their shoulders, and
their mouths in the middle of their breasts,
aud that a long train of hair groweth
backward between their shoulders Raj
eigh adds: st was not my chance to
hear Of them till l was come away. If |
had but spoken ono word oft while | was
there, | might have brought one of them
with me, to put the matter out Of doubt.
1t might have been more satisfactory for
the philosophers if he had but his word
was quite enough for the poets. One of
them, Shakespeare by name, was at this
very time writing plays for the gratf
cation of Raleigh's gracious mistress and
her subjects, and eagerly availed himself
| Of this new-discoyered tribe to introduce
one of them in his play of the Tempest,
under the name of Caliban. He also makes
Othello tell the gentle Desdemona "of
most disastrous chances and OF the can
niabals that each other eat the Anthro-
pophagi, and men whose heads do grow
beneath their shoulders" But in justice
to Raleigh it should be added that he did
not invent these stories, and that later
travellers and missionaries testify that
such tales are current among the Indians,
though as yet no specimen of the tribe
has been seen by trustworthy narrators.f I
Raleigh now found that he must bring
his westward progress to conclusion,
''for no half day passed but the river be-
gan to rage and overflow very fearfulIy,
and the rains came down in terrible
showers, and gust in great abundance,
and men began TO cry out for want Of
shift, for no man had place to bestow any
other apparel than that which be wore
on lis back, and that was thoroughly
washed on lis body for the most part ten
times day, and he had now been near
month, every day passing to the west
ward further from our ships" They
turned back, therefore, and passing down
the stream went without labor and against
the wind little less than one hundred
miles day. They stopped occasionally,
both for provisions and for conference
with the natives. In particular one old
chief with whom he had conferred form
erly on his ascent, gave him the confden-
tial communication that the attempt to
attack the city of Manoa. at that time
was desperate, for neither the time Of the
| year was favorable nor had he nearly
! sufficient force. He advised that for
bearing any further attempts at that time,
Raleigh should rest satisfied with the in-
form alton he had gained, and return TO
his own country for larger force, with
/ phich to come again the Iext year, and
unite all the tribes which were hostile to
the Eperumei, or people of Manoa, and
by their aid make an easy conquest Of
them. The old chief added that for his
wart and his peoples they wanted no
share of the spoils of gold or precious
stones they only wanted TO be avenged
on their enimies, and TO rescue from them
their women, whom the Eperumei had
carried away in their frequent incursions,
! 30 that, whereas they were wont to have
ten or twelve wives apiece, they were now
enforced to content themselves with three
or four"
Raleigh met with no material misad-
venture in his way down the river, and
though storm attacked them the same
night they anchored in the mouth of the
river, so that in spite of every shelter they
could derive from the shores, the galley
chad as much to do to live as could be,
and there wanted little Of her sinking
and all those in her, yet next day they
arrived safe at the island of Trinidad, and
found the ships at anchor, "than which"
says Raleigh, 'there was never to Us a
more joyful sight"
/ Raleigh was not favorably received by
tDe queen OD HlS return, nor was NC nol-
coined with any popular applause, for
he had brought home no booty. and his
account of the riches of the land into viii, b
he had led the way, was received with
suspicion. He published it under this
boastful title: "The DISCOVERY of the
large, rich and beautiful Empire of Gui-
ana, with relation Of the great and
Golden City of Mahoa, which the Span
iards call Eldorado Performed by Sir
Walter Raleigh" Iu spite of all the
great promises which he held out, the
acknowledg cement that lie had made los
ing voyage tended to abate thet spirit Of
cupidity and enterprise which he wished
to excite.
The above not the only instances III "n!th we
think Tie influence OF the romantic adstht.n-
the susceptible poet. The name u Inc ul'ih"y
whom talieaa calls my dams God, seteooS, occurs
III Raleghs narrative the name ti sh ~, ian toe
and Tnncuo's plan OF taking taiiDah 70 i-i'e'nu 10
make show uf him. borrow ell from tfs il!l OF
RaeIghs In his days Of pruSferty Eaeish nlsltutel