Atalanta's race. The man born to be king

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 edition. Excerpt: ...we tried to ask for that good land, Eastward and seaward did they point the hand; Yet if they knew what thing we meant thereby We knew not; but when we for our reply Said that we came thence, they made signs to say They knew it well, and kneeling down they lay Before our feet, as people worshipping. But we, though somewhat troubled at this thing, Failed not to hope, because it seemed to us That this so simple folk and virtuous, So happy midst their dreary forest bowers, Showed at the least a better land than ours, And some yet better thing far onward lay. Amidst all this we made a shift to pray That some of them would go with us, to be Our fellows on the perilous green sea, And much did they rejoice when this they knew, And straightway midst their young men lots they drew And the next morn of these they gave us ten, And wept at our departing. i Now these men, Though brown indeed through dint of that hot sun, Were comely and well knit, as any one I saw in Greece, and fit for deeds of war, Though as I said of all men gentlest far; Their arms were axe and spear, and shield and bow, But nought of iron did they seem to know, For all their cutting tools were edged with flint, Or with soft copper, that soon turned and bent; With cloths of cotton were their bodies clad, But other raiment for delight they had Most fairly woven of some unknown thing; And all of them from little child to king Had many ornaments of beaten gold: Certes, we might have gathered wealth untold Amongst them, if thereto had turned our thought. But none the glittering evil valued aught. Now of these foresters, we learned, that they, Hemmed by the woods, went seldom a long way From where we saw them, and no boat they had, Nor much of other people good or bad They knew, and...