air fresh, with a gentle, easterly wind;
and every stone we stooped to pick up promising either gold or silver by
its complexion."

On the return to the junction of the rivers, the land parties had similar
stories to tell, and had pieces of golden ore to show, of which they
claimed to have found plentiful indications. This story filled the whole
party with dazzling hopes. Here, in the rocks at least, were the riches of
which they had heard so much. If El Dorado did not exist, here was the
native wealth that might well bring it into existence.

The prospectors had done all that lay in their power, and now felt it
necessary to return to their ships, taking with them, at his request, the
son of the aged chief, who wished him to see England, and perhaps to
return at some time to succeed him, with the aid of the valiant English.

We must briefly close the story of Raleigh and his quest. After various
adventures, the party reached Plymouth again in August, 1595, and the
narrative of their discoveries was read everywhere with the utmost
interest.

But many years passed before the explorer could return again. He became
engaged in the wars against Spain, and after the death of the queen was
arrested for treason by order of James I. and imprisoned for thirteen
years. In 1617, twenty-two years after his first expedition, he returned
to the Orinoco, this time with a fleet of thirteen vessels.

His release from prison had been gained by bribery and the promise to open
a rich mine of gold in Guiana, but the expedition proved a failure. There
was a sharp fight with a party of Spaniards at St. Thomas, in which
Raleigh's son was killed. As for the gold mine, it could not be found, and
the expedition was forced to return with none of the hoped-for wealth to
show.

And now Raleigh's misfortunes culminated. He had been sentenced to death
for treason in 1603, but had been reprieved. The king had him arrested
again on the old charge, and the king of Spain demanded that he should be
punished for the attack on St. Thomas in times of peace. James I. did not
like Raleigh, and wished to stand well with Spain, so the famous explorer
fell a victim to the royal policy and dislike and was beheaded under the
old sentence in October, 1618. Since then El Dorado has lain concealed in
the mists of legend and romance, though mines of gold have been worked in
the region which Raleigh explored.

MORGAN, THE FREEBOOTER, AND THE RAID ON PANAMA.