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 While to the kingdoms of the rising day, To rival thee he holds the western way, A land of giants shall his eyes behold, Of camel strength, surpassing human mould: And onward still, thy fame, his proud heart's guide, Haunting him unappeased, the dreary tide

Beneath the southern star's cold gleam he braves, And stems the whirls of land-surrounded waves.

Through these dread jaws of rock he presses on; Another ocean's breast, immense, unknown, Beneath the south's cold wings, unmeasured, wide, Receives his vessels; through the dreary tide In darkling shades where never man before Heard the waves howl, he dares the nameless shore. Thus far, favoured Lusians, bounteous heaven Your nation's glories to your view has given. What ensigns, blazing to the morn, pursue The path of heroes, opened first by you! Still be it your's the first in fame to shine: Thus shall your brides new chaplets still entwine, With laurels ever new your brows enfold, And braid your wavy locks with radiant gold."

The poet of the Lusiad, who had said that the Muses sang of Gama unwillingly, here concludes his praises of Magellan with a promise to the Portuguese of ever renewed praise—a promise which will be fulfilled by posterity whenever the character and enterprise of Magellan are compared with those of his contemporaries; for whilst the cruelty and violence of Gama, and the difficulty his companions had in restraining him, were very serious defects in his character, Magellan gave