They said, " Heaven has spoken by the general's mouth."
In fact, it may be said to have so spoken, for though in
every age brave men abound, men like Quesada, of stern
moral courage, and a determination such as his, are very
pearls amongst mankind. Out of their miserable shelters
made of reeds and palm-leaves the fever-stricken men
emerged, leaning upon their swords, or upon sticks cut from
the trees, and all demanding to march on at once.
The night was passed in cleaning up their arms and
making ready for the march. At the first streak of dawn^
Fray Domingo de las Casas said Mass, and then, standing
before the little altar that he carried with him, he blessed
the soldiers as they passed in front of him.
A moving scene, and one fraught with consequence both
to Quesada and his men, and above all to the Indian countries
beyond the mountains, to whom his advent brought so much
misery and pain.
* . . Tierra buena, tierra buena,

Tierra que hara fin & nuestra pena.
Tierra de oro, tierra bastecida

Tierra para hacer perpetua casa.
Tierra con abundancia de comida,

Tierra de grandes pueblos, tierra rasa,

Tierra donde se ve gente vestida

* r * * *

Tierra de bendicion, clara y serena,

Tierra que hara fin a nuestra pena.
(Castellanos, " Elegias de Varones Ilustres de

„ . , , „ Indias," Madrid, 1748.)

2 Al rayar el alba.
