The Conquest of Mexico and Peru Author:Kinahan Cornwallis Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: XI. Don Diego turned his thoughts to Cuba's shore, For rumor made it rich in golden ore, And there he sent a bold exploring band, And to Velasquez ga... more »ve the chief command. Three hundred strong, the Spaniards ranged the isle— A Christian host and yet Satanic, vile— Nor one of all their number there was slain Ere Cuba passed a conquest o'er to Spain. They swiftly swept the native race away ; And at their feet a groaning people lay And cursed their blighting and tyrannic sway. They fell as falls the grass before the scythe, And on the stake, too oft, were seen to writhe. A chieftain who from Hayti's shore had fled Was to the verge of flaming fagots led, And asked if he'd the Christian faith embrace, And win thereby in Paradise a place. " Will such as you," the savage spoke, " be there ?" The priest responded with a solemn air— "All righteous Spaniards to that bourn repair." " Then," said the chief, " I thither ne'er will go, For that would be a heritage of woe. Than with that race accursed ever dwell I'd rather live eternally in Hell." The priest in holy horror raised his eyes. "Torment him," cried Velasquez, "as he dies." A moment later flames around him roared, And he was cut to pieces by the sword; But ere he died Velasquez raised his voice, And said—" The holy angels all rejoice To see the writhing infidel expire, And winds from heaven are sent to fan the fire." When such as he Invasion's vanguard led Well might the name of Spaniard kindle dread, And isles of beauty reek with dusky dead. When from wild Carthagena's gory shore Bold Nicuesa's squadron westward bore, Rude, baffling storms assailed him day by day, And left the bark he sailed a castaway— A stranded wreck—one dark, and awful night; And when the morning shed its welcome light ...« less