formidable flight.

[Footnote 1: Gods, yet confess'd later.--Milton.----Ils ne laissent
pas d'en etre les esclaves, & de les honorer plus que le grand
Esprit, qui de sa nature est bon.--Lafitau.]

[Footnote 2: La plupart de ces isles ne sont en effet que des pointes
de montagnes; et la mer, qui est au-dela, est une vraie mer
Mediterranee. Buffon.]

[Footnote 3: Alluding to the oracles of the Islanders, so soon to
become silent: and particularly to a prophecy, delivered down from
their ancestors, and sung with loud lamentations (Petr. Martyr, dec.
3. lib. 7) at their solemn festivals (Herrera. I. iii. 4) that the
country would be laid waste on the arrival of strangers, completely
clad, from a region near the rising of the sun. Ibid. II. S. 2. It is
said that Cazziva, a great Cacique, after long fasting and many
ablutions, had an interview with one of the Zemi, who announced to
him this terrible event (F. Columbus, c. 62), as the oracle of
Latona, according to Herodotus (II. 152) predicted the overthrow of
eleven kings in Egypt, on the appearance of men of brass, risen out
of the sea.
Nor did this prophecy exist among the Islanders alone. It influenced
the councils of Montezuma, and extended almost universally over the
forests of America. Cortes. Herrera. Gomara. 'The demons, whom they
worshipped,' says Acosta, 'in this instance told them the truth.']

CANTO IV.
The Voyage continued.

"Ah, why look back, tho' all is left behind?
No sounds of life are stirring in the wind.--
And you, ye birds, winging your passage home,
How blest ye are!--We know not where we roam,
We go," they cried, "go to return no more;
Nor ours, alas, the transport to explore
A human footstep on a desert shore!"

Still, as beyond this mortal life impell'd
By some mysterious energy, He held
His everlasting course. Still self-possess'd,
High on the deck He stood, disdaining rest;
(His amber chain the only badge he bore, [Footnote 1]
His mantle blue such as his fathers wore)
Fathom'd, with searching hand, the dark profound,
And scatter'd hope and glad assurance round.
At day-break might the Caravels [Footnote 2] be seen,
Chasing their shadows o'er the deep serene;
Their burnish'd prows lash'd by the sparkling tide.
Their green-cross standards [Footnote 3] waving far and wide.
And now once more to better thoughts inclin'd,
The sea-man, mounting, clamour'd in the wind.
The soldier told his tales of love and war; [t]
The courtier sung-