First reached these coasts, hid from the world beside.-- And yet another argument more strange, 60 Reserved for men of deeper thought, and late, Presents itself to view:--In Peleg's days, (So says the Hebrew seer's unerring pen) This mighty mass of earth, this solid globe, Was cleft in twain,--"divided" east and west, 65 While then perhaps the deep Atlantic roll'd,-- Through the vast chasm, and laved the solid world; And traces indisputable remain Of this primæval land now sunk and lost.-- The islands rising in our eastern main 70 Are but small fragments of this continent, Whose two extremities were Newfoundland And St. Helena.--One far in the north, Where shivering seamen view with strange surprize The guiding pole-star glittering o'er their heads; 75 The other near the southern tropic rears Its head above the waves--Bermuda's isles, Cape Verd, Canary, Britain, and the Azores, With fam'd Hibernia, are but broken parts Of some prodigious waste, which once sustain'd 80 Nations and tribes, of vanished memory, Forests and towns, and beasts of every class, Where navies now explore their briny way. _Leander_ Your sophistry, Eugenio, makes me smile; The roving mind of man delights to dwell 85 On hidden things, merely because they're hid: He thinks his knowledge far beyond all limit, And boldly fathoms Nature's darkest haunts;-- But for uncertainties, your broken isles, Your northern Tartars, and your wandering Jews, 90 (The flimsy cobwebs of a sophist's brain) Hear what the voice of history proclaims:-- The Carthagenians, ere the Roman yoke Broke their proud spirits, and enslaved them too, For navigation were renowned as much 95 As haughty Tyre with all her hundred fleets. Full many a league their venturous seamen sailed Through streight Gibraltar, down the western shore Of Africa, to the Canary isles: By them called Fortunate; so Flaccus sings. 100 Because eternal spring there clothes the fields And fruits delicious bloom throughout the year.-- From voyaging here, this inference I draw, Perhaps some barque with all her numerous crew Falling to leeward of her destined port, 105 Caught by the eastern Trade, was hurried on Before the unceasing blast to Indian isles, Brazil, La Plata, or the coasts more south-- There stranded, and unable to return, Forever from their native skies estranged. 110 Doubtless they made these virgin climes their own, And in the course of long revolving years A numerous progeny from these arose, And spread throughout the coasts--those whom we call Brazilians, Mexicans, Peruvians rich, 115 The tribes of Chili, Patagon, and those