300 



HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



sent out several expeditions for the colonization of Virginia in 

 America. 



He sailed from Plymouth in February, 1595, with five vessels 

 and a hundred soldiers. In order to reach the capital city of 

 Guiana, it was necessary to ascend the Orinoco, the navigation 

 of which was completely unknown to the English. As the ships 

 drew too much water, a hundred men embarked with Raleigh in 

 boats and proceeded up the stream. In these they remained 

 for a month, exposed to all the extremes of a tropical climate, 

 — sometimes to the heats of a burning sun, and again to violent 

 and torrential rains. Raleigh's account of their progress 

 through the labyrinth of islands and channels at the river's 

 mouths, of their precarious supplies of food and water, the ap- 

 pearance of the country and the manners of the natives, and, 

 finally, of their entrance into the grand bed of the superb Ori- 

 noco, has been admired for its descriptive beauty as well as ridi- 

 culed for its extravagant credulity. Indeed, it is doubted by 

 many whether Raleigh really believed the stories which he put 

 in circulation. We quote a passage : 



" Those who are desirous to discover and to see many nations," 

 he writes, "may be satisfied within this river; which bringeth 

 forth so many arms and branches leading to several countries 

 and provinces, above two thousand miles east and west, and of 

 these the most either rich in gold, or in other merchandises. 

 The common soldier shall here fight for gold, and pay himself, 

 instead of pence, with plates of gold half a foot broad, whereas, 

 he breaketh his bones in other wars for provant and penury. 

 Those commanders and chieftains who shoot at honor and abun- 

 dance shall find here more rich and beautiful cities, more tem- 

 ples adorned with golden images, more sepulchres filled with trea- 

 sure, than either Cortez found in Mexico or Pizarro in Peru ; and 

 the shining glory of this conquest will eclipse all those so-far- 

 extended beams of the Spanish nation. There is no country 

 which yieldeth more pleasure to the inhabitants, for those com- 



