The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-02-26
The Quest Of the Spanish Adventures
In America.

journals among the State papers at New
Mexico are recorded many a journey in
search of the rich estates which were
never anything but "near prospects"
Here IS one. In 1880 an army, led by
Of the Sangre asM of Spain,
northward from the Valley OF
Anahuac, and, guided by miserable maps
and tales of friendly Indians, pushed up
the Rio ella. (swift water). They looked
for . river, two leagues wide, running
through q beautiful and populous valley,
and the indistinctness which spreads
over every new country gave limitless
scope to the fancy of fortune hunters,
dazzled by the riches Of Mexico and
Peru. Soldiers, credulous. imaginative,
tireless, they saw with dreamful eyes.
Generous color was poured over mourn.
full deserts; steep mountain.sides DO.
trayed precious ores cropping out from
depths below; the plains were Fortunate
Fields, the home Of warm winds
becalmed in sleep.
where the noble river cut . bright blue
pathway for the ships Of great King.
He led mighty armies go runs the
chronology; and after battles his dusky
warriors held solemn feasts and sacred
dances, and chiefs inscribed the lists Of
their victories in hieroglyphs 'resem.
bling those Of Egypt" on mountain
walls of adamant.
/. The Kings palace was built OF hewn
stone, lighted by jewels of inestimable
worth, and hung with magnificent
tapestries Of feather.work, dyed scarlet
with cochineal. Its browning splendor
was q colonnade Of tluted columns, in
laid with chalckuites, or turquoises. Il
was fortified by heavy stone forti6ca'
tons, towers and walls, on which were
posted sentinels-men Of giant stature
armed with deadly arrows, dipped in
poison. The monarch lived in barbarie
pomp; had heaps Of gold dust and
endless tracts of corn and mining lands
which he distributed among his favor
ties. He wore mantles of birds
feathers, soft as eider.down, ani
necklaces and anklets Of opals ant
garnets, in ignorance of their actua
value. He had many dishes of pur
gold and silver, and Il copy tho word
Of the faded MS.) ''smoked the herl
which cures fatigue, in . pipe carve,
out of single cornelian." He took hi
siesta under the shade of a great tree
lulled to sleep by the music of colder
bells suspended there, sounding softl
when the wind blew.
The romantic adventurer had hear
wondr0us tales Of canoes capable Of cal
ryinge twenty rowers on each side, pre-
PEELED by sails and fitted up with gres
splendor. A large golden beak was th
prov, and the master reclincd at cas-
under splendid canopy. The favorite
OF his court were in attendance on th
Kings barge-lovely girls with th
blacklist eyes and sumptuous braids I
hair" They shone with head bands {
garnets and opals, and, wrapped in lon
shawls Of gaudy eolors, rested on featl
cry mats under the brilliant awnine
They penciled their brows with antimt
ny and darkened their eyelids with koh
after the manner Of Egyptian women.
Thus in sandal and cedar, balmy all
and folding arms, the West Indian kin
reveled as he sailed, and, like anotht
Antony, kissed away kingdoms an
provinces.
Wonderful are the works Of an inspire
imagination.-Ars. Coz. Wallace, in Il
N. 7. INDEPENDENT.