at the designated object. Wetzel, meanwhile, gradu- | length upon the beach, with me arm and a portion ated his piece in nearly the same line of sight; and, of his body buried in the mi Wetzel himself at the instant the canoe reached the mouth of the sunk to his thighs in the mud, nd found it imposcreek, he gave the word, in a clear whisper-sible to extricate himself. Head, however, the "Pull!" Both rifles firing precisely at the same moment, blended their reports so admirably, that the ear could not have distinguished two separate discharges. Both Indians fell: the one in the centre of the craft dropped on its bottom; but the other, who had been standing upright in the stern, capsized the canoe in falling over. This was a contingency which Wetzel had, perhaps, not contemplated. He was prompt, however, in meeting it. advantage of the Indian; for the latter was lying prostrate, somewhat stunned by is fall, and deprived moreover of the use of on of his arms. The hunter, whose side was now faced against the breast of the old chief, finding that his antagonist was reviving, seized his knife, and was about to plunge it to his heart, when the latter, by a sweep of his long arm, encircled Wetzel's body, and nearly crushed him to death. The scout made several attempts to use his knife, but the excru"Plunge in!" he whispered to Elliot, who had ciating pain he experienced from the iron hug of already made up his mind to do so, regardless of the Mingo, paralysed his powers of action. At consequences. The youth dropped his rifle, and length, Old Cross-Fire made a tremendous effort at one bound was over the bank, and at another in to turn himself; and in doing so relaxed his arm in the water. He plied his limbs with almost super- some measure, which enabled Wetzel to inflict a human strength. A shot was fired on the shore, deep stab in the chieftain's side, from which the but he scarcely heard it, so eagerly was he bent red current of life spouted freely. The savage utupon saving Rose from the frightful death by which tered a yell of anguish, and his arm fell powerless she was threatened. For a short period after by his side. Wetzel continued to use his knife Rose had been thrown into the water, her dress until the vital spark no longer animated the breast buoyed her upon its surface. Gradually, however, of his victim. The dead body of the Mingo chief it became saturated with the element, and in turn served the purpose of aiding the victorious hunter exercised an opposite influence. She was nearly in extricating his legs from the mire. He secured exhausted when Elliot came to her relief. The the scalps of Old Cross-Fire and his comradeyouth brought the unconscious girl to the shore, and placed her in a position adapted to restore animation to her system. the bodies of the two Indians first killed having sunk to the bottom of the river. It was now night, but the moon was up, and the stars shone brightly. Wetzel went in search of Elliot and Rose. He found the latter much revived, and the youth was tenderly supporting her weakened frame, and making her sensible of the leading events we have related. She expressed a wish to proceed home immediately. Lewis, after a short search, found both the poney and its bridle. Rose was placed in the saddle, and the party re Before Elliot had swam far from the shore, Lewis Wetzel, with a celerity of motion peculiar to himself, had reloaded his rifle, and stealthily placed himself at the edge of the precipice, nearly over the two Indians who yet remained on the beach. The comrade of Old Cross-Fire had already raised his gun to his shoulder to fire at Elliot, when Wetzel gained his new position. The rapid motion of the youth, however, ploughing his way through turned in safety to the fort. the water, somewhat baffled the savage; and before he had time to draw a satisfactory sight upon the swimmer, a ball from Lewis Wetzel's rifle pierced the Mingo's heart. At this moment, Old Cross-Fire was standing near his companion; his keen black eyes were directed towards the spot from which the two first shots were fired. His ample chest heaved from the working of the furies within; his nostrils were relaxed and distended alternately, and his giant frame was braced up in its full height. His ponderous rifle was held by his right hand, across the front of his body, ready to be placed in his left shoulder, at a moment's notice. As soon as Wetzel fired his last shot, and before the Mingo chief had time to make a motion towards retreating, he dropped his and leaped gun, over the bank, with the fury of a tiger, upon his long-sought enemy. The force with which he sprang upon Old Cross-Fire laid the savage at full PICTORIAL ILLUSTRATIONS. BY LEWIS J. CIST. With what a girlish grace she stands And, while he could, with words of hope And such is life!-When sorrow's storm descends And calmly waits the dawn of brighter skies! IL-THE BLIND MOTHER. Gently, good mother!-yet not fearfully, For she, thy duteous daughter 's by thy sideTo thy frail steps and sightless eyes to be Both strength and light—a helper and a guide. III-THE CONTENTED CAPTIVE. Tho' but a child, Oh! well the day All that were near to me were slain- Reminiscences of Spain, and more lately, the profound and elegant history of Ferdinand and Isabella by Mr. Prescott-have furnished to American literature the complete annals of those glorious events, which gave a new world, originally, "to Castile and Leon," but ultimately, to civilization and freedom. To tread in the footsteps of either of these gentlemen, with the hope that they may have left something for a gleaner, would be a work of supererogation, even if our narrow limits did not interpose an equally serious objection. We therefore propose, merely to glance at the history of Navarrete's production, so far as it bears upon our own literature, in order that the position of its accomplished author may be properly appreciated, and his indefatigable labors crowned with the praise, which is justly their due. In October 1789, it was determined by the Spanish government to establish, in Cadiz, a public naval library and museum, and to collect therein all the scientific and historical manuscripts, relating to that branch of the national service, which might be scattered throughout the kingdom. In furtherance of this scheme, a commission was issued by King Charles IV, on the 15th of October, to Senor Navarrete, authorizing him to examine the libraries and archives of the kingdom, private, as well as public, and to take copies of all such documents, as might serve his contemplated purpose. In June 1790, he commenced his task, by diving into the dusty recesses of the Hall of Manuscripts, in the Royal Library of Madrid, and continued it among the archives of the families of Santa Cruz, Villa Franca and Medina Sidonia. The manuscripts in the Library of the Estudios Reales de San Isidro, next engaged his attention, but beNAVARRETE ON SPAIN. ing, like those of Villa Franca, totally destitute of Coleccion de los viages y descubrimientos que hicieron por order or index, they gave the most unlimited scope mar los Espanoles, desde fines del siglo XV, con varios to both his patience and his industry. Senor Nadocumentos ineditos, concernientes á la historia de la varrete was then directed to search the archives of marina Castellana, y de los establecimientos Espanoles the Duke del Infantado, for the original papers reen Indias, coordinada é ilustrada, por Don Martin Fernandez de Navarrete, &c.-Madrid, en la imprenta real, lating to the history of a certain voyage of Lorenzo Ferrer Maldonado, in 1588, to the Straits of Collection of sea voyages and discoveries, made by the Anian, M. Buache having, but a short time preSpaniards, from towards the close of the 15th century-viously, presented a statement to the Royal Acadewith various documents, hitherto unpublished, relating to my of Sciences in Paris, wherein he advocated the history of the Spanish Marine, and the establishments the authenticity of the story. In his search after of Spain in the Indies, arranged and illustrated by Don this narrative, which he pronounces fabulous, he Martin Fernandez de Navarrete, &c.-Madrid, from the had the good fortune to discover two documents, reyal press. 1825, 2 vol. 8vo. in the handwriting of Fray Bartolomé de las Ca ane de 1825, dos tomos en 8vo. We have not, at this late day, taken up the work sas, describing the first and third voyages of Coof Navarrete, for the purpose of examining, in de- lumbus, and condensed or copied by their writer, tail, the interesting materials which it contains. from the papers of the Admiral himself. These The numerous documents and facts which he gave precious manuscripts, Navarrete communicated, in to the light, and which relieve from obscurity and the true spirit of literary brotherhood and liberality, error, the early history of our continent, as well as to his friend Munoz the historian of the New of its discoverer and his sovereigns, have furnished World, to whose first volume they afforded a timely themes for some of the ablest pens of our country. and most valuable contribution. In his examinaThe history of the life and voyages of Christopher tion of the vast collection in the Biblioteca Alta of Columbus by Mr. Irving-Mr. Cushing's delightful the Escorial, our author was greatly facilitated, by the catalogue with which he was furnished by the librarian Senor Bayer, whose assistance he likewise brought to bear upon his undertaking. and of State, as well as in the Supreme Council of Admiralty, found time, amid even the busy horrors of Bonaparte's invasion, to search, with care, Having collected four and twenty folio volumes the documents in the Royal Academy of History, of copies in the capital, Navarrete proceeded, in together with the collections of Munoz, and other February 1793, to Seville, where the general ar- erudite literary friends. Through a variety of inchives of the Indies had then been recently estab-terruptions and untoward circumstances, he conJished, and laid open before him a field, as wide as tinued to prosecute his work, until the direction, it was untrodden. The immense store of docu- ad interim, of the Deposito Hidrografico, which ments which had been removed to Seville from Si- was bestowed on him by Ferdinand VII, gave a mancas, together with the ancient records of various new impulse to his industry and greater leisure for tribunals, and of the Casa de Contratacion, lay in its exercise. Among the family records of the glorious multitude and confusion before him. Un-Duke of Veraguas, the descendant of Columbus, daunted by all this array, our author summoned to he had the happiness to discover document after his aid the Royal Commissioner Bermudez, and document, in the handwriting of the great Navigawas progressing successfully with him, in the task tor and his son Fernando-the correspondence with of collecting these Sibylline leaves together, when the Catholic sovereigns, and many other papers of the war with France called him to the stern duties precious value, up to that time unknown. Untiof the service, in which he was a gallant officer. ring still, he procured, through the intervention of The ministry however, with a zeal which does the government, copies of seventy additional docuthem much honor, directed him still to prepare and ments from the archives of the Indies at Seville, direct the business of the Commission, which he and caused the libraries of Barcelona to be rancontinued, at intervals, to do, until July 1795, sacked for more. From the archives of the Cathewhen, by his own exertions and those of the offi- dral of Seville, and from the Columbian library cers whom he superintended, he had amassed, from therewith connected, he was able to obtain many the archives of the Indies, the library of St. Aca- and curious notices of Columbus and his descencio and of the Count dél Aguila, together with dants-laden with which, and with his prior accuthat of the College of St. Telmo, copies of impor- mulations, he turned his attention to publication, tant papers, to the amount of seventeen additional and, towards the close of the year eighteen hunthick folio volumes. It is to be deeply regretted, dred and twenty-five, committed to the royal press, that the efforts of Navarrete, and those subse- the work before us, at the expense of the governquently made by Bermudez, to give order and ar- ment, whose support and influence had cheered rangement to the immense archives of the Indies, and sustained him, through the long years of his were interrupted by the war, and that the charac-heavy toil. teristic Vandalism with which Bonaparte sacked The portion of the collection which has subsethe Royal Depository of Simancas, and pillaged quently appeared, contains the history of the minor its contents for the French literary retail-trade, discoverers. The first two volumes, which are should have deprived us of infinite treasures, which, the subject of this notice, are confined exclusively in the hands of our active and persevering com- to the story and the discoveries of Columbus. piler, might have widened the compass of historic They lay open, for the first time, from his own pen lore, and made broader and stronger the founda- and from the hands of Las Casas, Chanca, Diego tions of truth. Mendez and others, his companions or contempoIn 1798, Don Josef de Vargas y Ponce was com-raries, a familiar and circumstantial history of his missioned by the government, to write the gene- hopes, his doubts, his struggles, disappointments, ral history of the Spanish Marine, and to avail and success. Clustered around these simple and himself, among others, of the manuscripts collected life-like narratives, are all the documents which by Navarrete. In conjunction with this extensive illustrate and verify them-letters, orders, memoand important work, Don Martin was directed to rials, decrees and laws, exhumed from the literary arrange, illustrate, and publish those tracts, which catacombs where they had been so long interred. might relate to the elder voyagers and their dis- and deciphered from manuscripts, where the damps coveries. It was an order of the Ministry, prompt- and decay of time have made almost illegible, ed by Don Josef Varela, which imposed this duty, characters, whose very meaning had nearly been and not merely Don Martin's own determination, forgotten. Obsolete phrases and arbitrary abbre"induced by the great historical value of the docu-viations, bad punctuation and worse orthography. ments" which he had discovered, as is supposed and were the petty obstacles, which, like troops of asserted by the North American Review. With his accustomed energy, our author forthwith put his shoulder to the wheel, and, notwithstanding his active occupation in the departments of the Marine * Vol. 24, p. 267. light Cossacks, harassed and protracted the mare h which they could not effectually impede. These obstacles have all been overcome. To the learning, which delights the antiquarian and cheers the dis'ciple of truth, a long and interesting historical in troduction has been prefixed, replete with philo-lights on the discovery of the new world,"* and sophical reflection and discriminating criticism. although he does injustice to the government, by Maps too are added, carefully and accurately speaking of Don Martin's zeal as "self sustained," traced and elucidated, with tables, which digest he nevertheless acknowledges that he received and render easy of access, the whole mass of learn- from him, "the most obliging assistance," and "vaing and fact-while, to crown all, the author, with rious valuable and curious pieces of information."† the modesty of genuine worth, claims nothing from With this expression of obligation, so far as it the public as a historian, but sums up his preten- goes, we do not intend to quarrel, but candor comsions, in these simple words: pels us to say, in view of the facts of the case, that Mr. Irving is not quite explicit enough, in acquainting the American public, with the full extent of his indebtedness. His preface, without giving even a general outline of Navarrete's work or its history, conveys the general idea, that his own, was "We do not propose to write the history of the Admiral, but merely to publish documents and facts, by means whereof it may be truly written."* And again "The documents we publish, will give to judicious and impartial writers, materials, by the just principally the result of his particular researches, use of which they may throw true light on facts, made originally and personally, among the deposicorrect, by sound criticism, the errors of received tories, to which his position at Madrid gave him opinion, and expose, clearly and surely, the misre- facilities of access. Nothing can be farther from presentations of panegyrists, and of venal and cor- our intention, than to disparage Mr. Irving's hisrupt historians." tory. It is because we take pride in his contri During the winter of 1825-26, after Senor Na-butions to our literature, and in this, the most pervarrete had been toiling in the vineyard for thirty-manent among them, that we would have him sefive years, at an expense to his government of cer- cure, without cavil, his own meed of praise from tainly not less than one hundred thousand dollars, posterity, by fully and frankly yielding to others, (a liberality which freer nations will be more apt their share. That we are not merely amassing to overlook than to imitate,) just as the present Magno conatu, nugas," let the facts prove. work came from the press, our distinguished coun- It was, as we have before said, in the winter of tryman, Washington Irving, made his appearance 1825-'26, that Mr. Irving went to Madrid. Navarin Madrid. His original errand, at the instance of rete's dedication to the King bears date January our Minister Mr. Everett, had been, as he states 12th, 1826, and Irving, by his own showing, did not in his preface, to translate Navarrete's work, but, commence his work, until after mature reflection, finding in it, as both he and its author properly subsequently to Navarrete's publication. His own say, rather the materials for history than history preface is dated Oct. 18th, 1827-consequently,itself, he determined to undertake the more original for the maturing of his reflections, prior to undertask of writing that history. His capacity for taking the task-for the labor attendant upon presuccess in such an effort no one could doubt. The paration, and on the composition of three volumes romantic nature of the subject was eminently suited octavo, of very reasonable dimensions, he had, at to his peculiar talent. The character of Colum- the utmost, but twenty or twenty-one months. bus himself was that of a very hero of romance-What was the extent of the labors, through which made solid it is true, by deep thought and philoso- according to his preface he was compelled to pass? phical acquirement-but still, lighted by the glare "I have diligently collated," he says, "all the of a powerful imagination-rich in chivalry and works that I could find, relative to my subject in loyalty softened and saddened by an humble and print and manuscript; comparing them, as far as trustful devotion. There is too, in the fresh narra- in my power, with original documents, those sure tives of the voyagers themselves and their contem- lights of historic research." The italics are ours. poraries, so pleasant a mixture of truth and the According to this statement, Mr. Irving's remarvellous-so ample a scope for fanciful descrip- searches were divided into two classes-his examition and unaffected wonder-that we can well con- nation of printed and manuscript books and his inceive how meet the subject was, for the pen, which, vestigation of original documents. The perusal in a lighter mood, had made us almost hear the of printed works appears to have been carried to a groaning of the trees at nightfall, within the en- praiseworthy extent, and was of course the lightchanted precincts of Sleepy Hollow. That Mr. est, because the most acceptable portion of his laIrving's choice was a prudent one, the critical bor, if the other part were faithfully and actually world have decided by their approbation, and surely performed. The manuscript narratives and origihe performed his task, with accuracy, judgment nal documents were necessarily the sources, from and infinite beauty. In his preface, he does not which he drew what is most valuable and interestscruple to admit that Navarrete's work had done ing, because novel, in his history. Now, with all its author great credit, and had thrown "additional the industry that we have been able to exercise in * 1 Irving. Preface,-p. v. Id. p. vi. ‡ld. p. vi. vii. § Id. Pref. p. * 1 Nav. Introd. lxxxii. t † Ib. p. lxvi. VOL. VII-30 the examination of his references, we can discover to use them, he will not dispute. Navarrete had no allusion to any manuscript work, which Navar-been for thirty years among those very documents, rete had not previously cited. Indeed, with the exception of the History of the Indies by Las Casas, the unpublished portions of Oviedo and the Chronicle of the Cura de los Palacios, we find no direct reference to any manuscript work whatever. A very limited acquaintance with Spanish archæology will teach any one, that those works are too common, to require a search as protracted, as that of Ponce de Leon, after the fountain of life. Navarrete cites them in place, with perfect familiarity. So far then, Mr Irving has only gone over the beaten track. Do we find that his toil among the original documents was more extensive or productive? actively engaged in shedding light upon them. With all his knowledge as an antiquarian—with all his familiarity as an elegant scholar with his own tongue-he had difficulties constantly around and before him, for the solution of which, he was obliged to call to his assistance, others more experienced than even he.' From the chaff of thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of parchments and papers, he had winnowed out not less than forty-one folio volumes of copies, besides a mass of others, separate and distinct. The mere statement of these facts, involves, prima facie, one of two consequences. Either Mr. Irving did not personally and originally compare the printed and We will here observe, that the mere gathering manuscript works before him, with all the original together of facts and documents, in regard to Co- documents which "were in his power," and "dilumbus, did not constitute Navarrete's merit, and gest" his history therefrom, or he was able, though could not give value to Irving's undertaking. It a stranger, comparatively unfamiliar with the lanwas the discovery of new facts and new docu-guage, and especially with its obsolete forms, to ments, such as those which we have before men- collate, in twenty-one months, "all the works that tioned. The main importance of Irving's history he could find, relative to his subject, in print and is not that he has collected into one picture the manuscript"-to read and compare and digest docuscattered groups which others had sketched before him-but, that by a resort to original paintings, new-found, he has been enabled to fill up dim outlines, correct false likenesses, and supply the deficiencies of light and shade, which had hitherto made the canvass as confused, as Charles Lambe's best specimen of Chinese perspective. Who has the merit of the discoveries which have done all this? "that is the question!" "Magni incipient procedere menses." ments, which a learned native, with learned aid, could not master in less than a third of a centuryand besides all, to appropriate to himself a library† which was his "main resource, and to concentrate his labors in a beautiful story, "the joint force and full result of all!" It is idle to dispute as to the horn of the dilemma, which Mr. Irving must necessarily take. It is impossible that he could have made that extensive search into original documents, After stating that he had soon abandoned the which his statement (perhaps unintentionally) inidea of translating Navarrete, Mr. Irving informs volves, unless the usual endurance and capabilities us that he found on mature consideration that the of our species are susceptible of indefinite extenbooks then existing "contained limited and incom- sion, on the banks of the slender Manzanares, or plete accounts of the life and voyages of Colum- unless the days of Pollio, have, in a new sense, bus, while numerous valuable tracts on the sub-returned, and ject existed only in manuscript or in the form of letters, journals, and public acts." It then apThat our view is correct, the additional statepeared to him, that "a history, faithfully digested ments of the preface shew conclusively, by indifrom these various materials, was a desideratum in cating the very limited number of libraries and literature," and would be more satisfactory to him- archives to which he directed his attention. These self and acceptable to his country, than a transla- were the Royal Library of Madrid, together with tion.* Not to leave it a matter of doubt, upon the those of St. Isidro, of Mr. Rich, the American minds of his readers, that with the idea of trans- Consul, and the archives of the Duke of Veraguas. lation, he abandoned Navarrete altogether; and To Don Antonio Uguina he owed access to the that the examination of all these valuable "letters, papers of Munoz (which he quotes) and other docujournals and public acts" in manuscript, was his ments of value-besides availing himself of "other own work, Mr. Irving further states, in our former aids, incidentally afforded him by his local situaquotation, that he had compared the printed and tion." Now, independently of the unquestionable manuscript works which he had collated, as far * 1 Navarrete. Introduction ch. vi and p. 330. as in his power, with original documents"-maThat of Mr. Rich the American Consul. 1 Irving. Preking the conclusion necessary, that, from such ac-face, p. vi. tually inspected and compared tracts and docu- After his first edition, Mr. I. appears to have searched ments, he had "digested" his history. That all the Columbian Library of Seville and the archives of the the documents in Spain were "in his power," for Indies there. They contributed nothing of moment to his reference and comparison, if he had taken time fect our argument and statements, or lessen his debt to later editions, and being, besides, of a later date, do not af* 1 Irving. Pref. p. vi. Navarrete. |