Middletown transcript., 1877-07-07

/
at a flag, hoisted to a staff, hanging owe
lie the stern, the field of which was white
with representation Of a fountain
worked in gold thread, in the centre
The three men who were in her, par
ticularly the one seated in the stern
sheets, were very richly attired in
dresses worked in gold thread But
what astonished us more than all was
the popularity Of their compilations,
5 which, although they were very we'll
featured men, were of beautiful light
blue, their eyes black, and their hair
Of a rich auburn.
The parsonage in the stern-sheets
ascended the side, and addressing me
in excellent Portuguese, inquired if I
could speak the language.
1 answered in the affirmative, and
he then welcomed us in the name Of
the king, upon my arrival at the island,
asking me the number Of my crew,
whether / had any sick on board, and
many other particulars, all of which he
noted down on tablets of gold, with
piece of red cinnabar.
Having replied to all his interroga-
tions, / then obtained from him the
following particulars, viz That the
island had been originally peopled by
one of the ships belonging to Vasco de
Gama's squadron, which returning from
the East Indies, laden with the pro-
duce from the East, and specimens of
the various inhabitants of the newly
discovered territories, had been cast
away and utterly wrecked. That the
island, which otherwise was fertile and |
well stocked, was one mine Of gold,
which, in the absence of other metal,
they were necessitated to employ for
every article and utensil in common
use. But the greatest curiosity which
the island contained, was fountain Of
water at the foot Of the centre peak, Of
beautiful color, and producing lon
gevity to those who drank Of it, from
which it had received the name of the
Isle Of the Golden Fountain. That
when they had landed, about three
hundred years ago, they consisted of
various nations and colors, male and
female; but the climate and the use of
the waters had, in the course of time,
produced the change in their complex
ions which we beheld, and all the in
habitants were now of that peculiar
tint, with the exception that the females
were not so dark as the men. Few
ships had ever touched there; and the
crews Of those who had fallen in with I
the island had preferred remaining, |
which accounted for its being 50 totally {
unknown that the king was very par '
tial to strangers, and always received !
them at his palace, which was built f
close to the Golden Fountain. He {
by requesting me to accom- G
pany him on shore, and pay my res ]
poets; stating that if wished to quit i
the island, his majesty would permit l
me to load my vessel with as much as d
she could carry of the metal so preci- e
ous in other countries, but so little v
valued in this. t
I must acknowledge that | was quite e
overjoyed at his narration. I con- a
'idered my fortune to be made, and s.
fastened to accompany the ambassador, tt
Who stated that the king would not be
pleased if I did not permit the major a
'art Of my ships company to attend c,
ne to the palace. As the men were "
yery eager to 60 on shore after the ac- c,
.ount which they had heard, and he d
lssured me that the wind never blew o.
lome in the bay, which was on the lee W
ide Of the island, l consented to their ta
wishes, and allowed all but two to quit u
he vessel. pl
We were much surprised when we
anded at the village to perceive that al
ven the pig-troughs, posts, and rails, al
nd indeed every article in which &C
letal could be employed, were of solid th
old but we had not time for exami- in
alton, as we found several sledges, W
rawn by small bullocks, waiting for
s near the beach. fe
We mounted, and the animals set pc
# in swift canter, upon a smooth m
nd ascending road, and in less than vi
wo hours we arrived at the kings pal ca
ce, which was an extensive building, be
OF very remarkable in its structure, M
xcepting the unusual sight Of the wi
lrge columns Of gold, supporting the
which extended from it on du
very side. But when we had alighted ha
nd were proceeding through the por- "b
Goes, was astonished at the wonder ha
il finish of the statues which embel- 1 ]
shed them. They were mounted on 20
linths of the FURNISHED metal, and de
lrved out of sort of light blue chal- ha
9dony, which, Joined with their mas of
rly execution, gave them the appear th'
ice of life. | was surprised at the my
range attitudes which the sculptors otl
ID chosen to represent, all more or
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