The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-07-03

THIRD PART.
[NoTE. \ long neglected work Is resumed.
The writer, when be left town, the latter part of
last January, hoped that a retirement in the
country for a while would not be unfavorable 10
the prosecution of his literary Iabors; as be
wished to continue without interruption the task
he had allotted to himself in respect to the illus
tration of the life of Portugal's most gifted son.
and of her heroic age; bat the charms of nature,
and the temptation in a beautiful land to be al
ways out of doors, rather defeated tue spirit of
composition so that Camoens has been laid on
the shelf for many months, whilst his unworthy
historian was beguiled with the bleat of lambs.
or the gathering of moses and ferns. Having
returned to the confinement of the city the task
is resumed.
ARRIVAL OF CAMoENs IN INDIA.
Our Poet, sailing with Cabral, had reached
India, where he celebrates the glory of de CANA,
he, who foremost amongst European discoveries
first sets, foot upon the charmed land that had
been the chief hope, and the inspiration of the
genius of Columbus. Here was the fountain
source from whence Pboenicians, Egyptians,
Arabians and Italians had drawn their sinews of
empire; I'D now it was to enrich and place in
the vanguard of nations the once obscure and fee
DAS Il WV wiz IA " llC DltGu vi
supremacy by the wonderful genius of her Henry
the son Of PhIllipa and by the heroic constancy of
her kings and captains, who followed in the path
way opened up by the Illustrious Prince. And
CamOens ~contemplates all this achievement with
the fervor of patriotism, and celebrates it with
the eloquence of genius. Camoens took part in
various important and interesting expeditions dur
ing his stay in India. He is said to have visited
the Molucca Islands,-the scenes of the Apostolic
labors of Xavier. He proved the value of his
military capacity and experience in an expedition
against the Plmenta Isles. And when Manuel de
VascoucelOs went with an expeditionary force to
establish Portuguese dominion on the shores of
the Red Sea, Camoens accompanied him. He
fought as usual like a hero, and explored North
eastern Africa as a brave adventurer-of all of
which he gives us a charming account in certain
elegles. But he happened in a day, after heroism
had achieved for his country a new empire, when
1t was a prey to corruption and the ~venality of
official rings; so that soon after the arrival of the
Poet at Goa the capital of India, we find his gen.
erous soul engaged in an indignant warfare
against the 'follies OF India. ()
HE ATTACKS THE AUTHORITIES OF INDIA.
But of what avail can be the protest of one
brave pen in a community made up of time serv-
ing rings and cliques. and wholly given up to its
immediate pecuniary interests and pleasures?
Such was Portuguese India shortly after the
noble period Of it's foundation. The noblv adj
venturOus de Cana, the great conquering 'Albu-
querque and the Christian hero Galyan had left
no worthy successors. A bureaucracy ruling and
running theFcountry under the guidance of a VenaI
and incompetent favoritism, awakened the bitter
scorn of Camoens. His great soul beheld the
great things his country had done and be felt all
the grandeur that was her due therefore he could
not be silent, although sad experience might have
told him that men whose only estimation of q
country was the place and emolument it afforded,
would hate the voice of truth and patriotism and
would silence it, if in their power: and so it hap
pened in this case.
THE POET IS EXILED. -
The structures and criticisms of Camoens pub
lished at Goa, aroused the bureaucracy of India
against him as a common enemy. His access to
Official or influential society was tabooed and
after q while the Governor of India, Barreto,
feeling that he might indulge in an exercise of
power against an ostracized man, ban
ished the Poet from the capital of India to the .
new Portuguese settlement of Macao in China.
where the indignant patriot might wreak his
heart in vain in denunciation of the wicked rulers
of his country. And now like a brave soul he
wasted no time nor powers of mind in vain re-
grets; but resuming his task, the celebration of
the past glories of his country, he wrote of her
achievement and renown, as though he was the
favored of her sons. Yes,-he,-the ban. ]
ished, impoverished, slandered, outcast Camoens.
pouring out his soul in the solitude of a grotto or
cave near Macao, (2) labored as though he was
the recipient of high reward and honor; and his
SpiC IN anna the
horrors OF African warfare, continued whilst
tempest tossed in an open seagoing vessel, and
now completed amid the solitude and sorrows of
exile, is the chief glory of his country, and re-
deems from obscurity the great names of his race,
descendants were his %revilers and persecu-
tors.
HE GAINS SOME FORTUNE AND is RECALLED.
But the life of the Poet was not altogether
some of the comfort of good fortune.
After a time he found favor at Macao, with a
compassionate man in power, who gave to him, as
means of living, the emoluments arising from
the duties of an administrator of the effects of
Portuguese; and as hosts OF adventurous
from the home land were risking their lives in
Indian cimes and seas, Camoens succeeded by
and by, in accommodating quite a little treasure, q
competency for the retirement of a poet,
of the walls of fortune left in his hands by
riendless adventures. And as independ-
ence OF means awakens social amenities, and as the
critical pen of Camoens had been silent for long
lime, the hostility that once prevailed at Goa had
far softened down, that he was invited TO re-
urn to the capital; and as our hero, like all
earnest, active souls loved the refinements and in
associations where wealth and popula-
ion abound, he gladly FASTENED back with his
reasure and bis poem to the seat Of power and
in India.
sHIPwRECKED, AND SAVES THE LUsIAD.
An adverse fate had ceased to prosecute this
nan of SORROWS, and he now looked forward in
he decline of years, sixteen of which he had
pent in Ipdia, to an easy and honorable retire
nent, and to the enjoyment of pleasant literary
at home. 1t was a reasonable hone.
nd he doubted not Of its realization, as the good
hip that was bearing him over the seas, entered
he mouth Of the Mecon, and came in sight of
be glittering domes and turrets Of the shore.
oh, Divine Providence, thy ways are not our
rays For at this moment of hope and expected
and reward, the ship strike5 on 4 hidden
NRk-fho 600 hraoES pua hpp - Hrirhfa1 ,aaA
rasp at a little of their treasure, as they plunge
nto the sea; whilst Camoens forgetful of all bis
7orldly goods, but the work of his soul, grasped
be scroll of the beloved Lusiad in one hand,
Whilst with the other be buffeted a surging sea
nd with a stout heart he beat back the yawning