224 A VOYAGE TO Book V. 



a Sunday, geemed to usas if filled with all the variety 

 of Seville fair. Thus the least object became mag* 

 nified, whai we descended for two or three days 

 from our exile, which, in so rje places, lasted fifty days 

 successively ; and it must be owned, that there were 

 particular occasions when oursufi'erings were such, that 

 nothing could have supported us under them, and ani- 

 mated us to persevere, but that honour and fidelity 

 which joiiitly conspired to induce both companies, 

 whatever should be the consequence, not to leave im- 

 perfect a work so long desired by all civilized nations, 

 and so parcicuiarly countenanced by the two power- 

 ful monarchs our sovereigns. 



It may not be amiss here to inform the reader of 

 the different opinions conceived by the neighbouring 

 inhabitants, with regard to our enterprise. Some ad- 

 mired our resolution, others could not tell what con. 

 struction to put upon our perseverance j and even 

 those of the best parts and education among them 

 were utterly at a less v/hat to think. They made it 

 their business to examine the Indians concerning the 

 life we led, but the ansv;ers they received only tend- 

 ed to increase their doubts and astonishment. They 

 saw that those people, though naturaüy hardy, ro- 

 bust, and inured to fatigues, could not be prevailed 

 upon, notwithstanding the encouragement of double 

 pay, to continue any time with us. Tlie serenity in 

 which we lived on those dreaded places was not 

 unknown to themj and they saw with what tranquil- 

 lity and constancy we passed from one scene of soli- 

 tude and labour to another. This to them appe;ared 

 so strange, that they were at a loss what to attribute 

 it to. Some considered us as little better than luna- 

 tics ; others more sagaciously imputed the whole to 

 covetousDess, and chat we v\cre certainly endeavour- 

 ing to diiicover some rich miinerais «by particular me- 

 thods of our ov/n invention; others again suspected 

 that wc dealt in magic ; but all v^'cre involved in a 



labyrinth 



