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

courage, we are as near to heaven by Sc;
as by land That nj ght, at about twcly,
O'clock writes the historian of the voy
age. who was himself one of the adven
turers, 'the cutter being ahead of US il
the Golden Hind, suddenly her light
were out, and the watch cried, The gen
eral is cast away' which was too true. :
So perished Christian hero! 1t was {
fine end for mortal man. Let US no
call it sad or tragic, but heroic and sub
lime.
Raleigh. not discouraged by the i'll sue
cess of this expedition, shortly after OBJ
tanned letters patent for another enter
prise of the same kind, on the same terms
as had been granted to Sir Humphrey
Two barks were sent to explore some un
discovered part Of America, north of Flo
rido,. and look out for favorable stu
alton for the proposed colony. This ex.
pediton landed on Roanoke Island, near
the mouth of Albemarle Sound Having
taken formal possession of the country
for the Queen of England and her ser.
want, Sir Walter Raleigh, they returned
and gave so favorable an account of the
country that her majesty allowed it to be
called Virginia, after herself, virgin
queen. The next year, Raleigh sent out
second expedition, and left colony OF
a hundred men, which was the first colo
ny planted by Englishmen on the conti-
nent of America. Soon after, Ralei igh
sent a third expedition with a hundred
and fifty coonists; but having now ex-
pended 10000 upon these attempts, and
being unable to persist further, or weary
of waiting SO long for profitable returns
he assigned over his patent to a company
of merchants and withdrew from further
prosecution of the enterprise.
The years which followed were the
busiest Of Ralcigh's adventurous life
He bore a distinguished part in the de-
feat of the Spanish Armada; and, in the
triumphant procession to return thanks at
St. Paul's for that great deliverance, he
was conspicuous as commander of the
queens guard. He was member OF
Parliament, yet engaged personally in
two naval expeditions against the Spani-
ards, from which he reaped honor but
no profit, and was at the height of favor
with the queen. But during his abesence
at sea. the queen discovered that an in
trigue existed between Raleigh and one
of the maids Of honor, which was an of.
fence particularly displeasing to Elizabeth
who loved to fancy that all her handsome
young courtiers we're too much attached
to herself to be capable of loving any 9th,
er object. Raleigh on his return was
committed prisoner to the Tower, and
on being released, after short confne'
ment, retired to his estate in Dorsetshire,
1t was during this retirement that he
formed his scheme for the discovery and
conquest of Eldorado. 1t had long been
subject OF meditation to Raleigh, who
declares in the declaration of bis History
of Guiana, published after his return, that
many years since be had knowledge by
relation of that mighty, rich and beauti-
fu! empire Of Guiana, aud of that great
and golden city which the Spaniards call
dorado, and the naturals Manoa.' 1T
is not possible says one Of the historians
of these events, that Raleigh could have
believed the existence of such a kingdom
Credulity was not the vice of his nature
but having formed the project of coloniz,
ing Guiana, he employed these fables as
bats for vulgar cupidity.' Other writer:
Judge him ore fav orably. 1t is proba
bly, true that he believed in the existence
of such country as EIdorado, hut we car
hardly suppose that he put faith in all the
marvellou, details which accompan anied The
main fact in popular narration.