The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-02-14

make the most OF his me person and
handsome face, and also to display to
the utmost advantage the brilliant
scarlet mantle stolen from the ad.
miral's wardrobe, and as many bright.
colored beads and jingiing little
hawks bells as he could hang about
his neck and arms and ankles. Tc
his simple followers he was most
imposing figure, and while they pre-.
pared and served his breakfast, stand.
ing so as to form a circle round his
sacred person, Pedro began to feel
that lie was rapidly becoming more
than mortal.
"When they began the ascent OF
the mountains, Mendoza pointed to
the highest peak, and signi6ed that
nothing would satisfy him but to
descead into the city beyond from
the greatest elevation; and as this was
in accord with the Indian idea of his
character as deity, it served to in
crease their awe and veneration. He
went first; and being a good climber,
sure of foot and we'll accustomed to
the mountains of his native land, he
made an excellent show of speed,
which, to the excited imaginations of
the Indians, was easily exaggerated
into supernatural swiftness. Any one
of these fleet, undressed, untram-
meled savages conld have beaten
Pedro Mendoza in O race, but SO
penetrated were they with awe, verg-t
ing on.terror,- that they Jagged behind,
exclaiming and gesticulating among
themselves, unconsciously supplying
him with the appearance of saneT-:
human powers with which he desired:
to impress them. ID
"Long before any OF the Indians
had overtaken him, Pedro had reached
the summit of the highest peak, and
there sight of grandeur and OF glory
burst on his view that for moment
caused his sordid heart to forget all
else in beholding it. The sun was
now we'll up in the sky, for it had
been a steep and toilsome climb, and
Mendoza was more than two thousand
feet above the sea-level; and on every
side, for he stood on the highest peak
of the island, he could see the shining
waters of the Atlantic glittering in
tints of mingled sapphire and silver,
palpitating rs if with life and SEEM
ing, in the dazzling rays of the sun,
to undulate like a sea of quick
silver.
"Here and there he could discern
dark spots breaking the glistening e1-
panse; and these he guessed to. be
islands. Some of them. probably those
he had already visited with Columbus
and his followers, others those to
which his late companions were now
sailing; but he felt no longing to re-
join them, no regret for having
deserted them. Here he was prince,
god, and, if he did but manage
wisely, this beautiful island would
soon be all his own and its people his
subjects and devoted slaves.
cat that thought e~withdrew his
gaze from the vast eIpanse which had
for a moment fascinated him, and
looked down toward the fertile and
beautiful valley at the foot of the
mountains, a great emerald set round
with points of silver, turquois, ruby,
topaz aud amethyst; for in that Glori-
Gus light the mountains took on all
hues and colors.
"By this time the Indians had
reached Mendoza, and by signs and
eager calculations they told him that
he now beheld the city of their chief
and the home of Anscaona.
"At first Pedro could see nothing
but the valley, and for a moment
sharp spaam of disappointment and
also of fear shot through his heart,
for he thought tho Indians had de-
ceived him, and that neither city nor
inhabitants lay before him. He had
not the keen sight of the natives,
but presently he began to distinguish
specks of white and moving figures.
And then, in answer to the excited
gestures of his companions, he began
composedly to descend the mountain,
while the Indians went on ahead to
prepare for his reception.
"Ths further he descended the more
plainly he could see this curious city.
There were several hundred houses
and number of habitaticns like tents;
which, as he subsequently learned,
were made of a species Of: strong cot
ton cloth stretched upon poles of bam-
boo cane. The thouses were rude
structures raised on foundations of
logs, open on all sides, having roofs
matched with straw, leaves and grass,
but within they were neat and clean
and ornam ented in many ways, show
ing a rude appreciation of artistic
effect that gave token of a much higher
civilization than anything met with
so far in this new country.
TO BE CONTINUED.