-sung to his gay guitar.
Round, at Primero, sate a whisker'd band;
So Fortune smil'd, careless of sea or land! [u]
LEON, MONTALVAN, (serving side by side;
Two with one soul--and, as they liv'd, they died)
VASCO the brave, thrice found among the slain,
Thrice, and how soon, up and in arms again,
As soon to wish he had been sought in vain,
Chain'd down in Fez, beneath the bitter thong,
To the hard bench and heavy oar so long!
ALBERT of FLORENCE, who, at twilight-time,
In my young ear pour'd DANTE'S tragic rhyme,
Screen'd by the sail as near the mast we lay,
Our night illumin'd by the ocean-spray;
LERMA "the generous", AVILA "the proud;" [Footnote 4]
VELASQUEZ, GARCIA, thro' the echoing croud
Trac'd by their mirth--from EBRO'S classic shore,
From golden TAJO--to return no more!

[Footnote 1: It was afterwards given to Guacanahari.
See F. Col. c. 32.]

[Footnote 2: Light vessels, formerly used by the Spaniards and
Portuguese.]

[Footnote 3: F. Columbus, c. 23.]

[Footnote 4: Many such appellations occur in Bernal Diaz. c. 204.]

CANTO V.
The Voyage continued.

Yet who but He undaunted could explore [x]
A world of waves--a sea without a shore,
Trackless and vast and wild as that reveal'd
When round the Ark the birds of tempest wheel'd;
When all was still in the destroying hour--
No sign of man! no vestige of his power!
One at the stern before the hour-glass stood,
As 'twere to count the sands; one o'er the flood
Gaz'd for St. Elmo; [Footnote 1] while another cried
"Once more good morrow!" and sate down and sigh'd.
Day, when it came, came only with its light.
Tho' long invok'd, 'twas sadder than the night!
Look where He would, for ever as He turn'd,
He met the eye of one that inly mourn'd.
Then sunk his generous spirit, and He wept.
The friend, the father rose; the hero slept.
PALOS, thy port, with many a pang resign' d,
Fill'd with its busy scenes his lonely mind;
The solemn march, the vows in concert giv'n, [Footnote 2]
The bended knees and lifted hands to heav'n,
The incens'd rites, and choral harmonies,
The Guardian's blessings mingling with his sighs;
While his dear boys--ah, on his neck they hung, [y]
And long at parting to his garments clung.
Oft in the silent night-watch doubt and fear
Broke in uncertain murmurs on his ear.
Oft the stern Catalan, at noon of day,
Mutter'd dark threats, and linger'd to obey;
Tho' that brave Youth--he, whom his courser bore
Right thro' the midst, when, fet