He took it much to heart, for he thought he
had won his spurs and pleased the King extraordinarily," He had
hoped to please the King and win freedom again, but his hopes
were shattered.
At last, however, the door of his prison was opened. It was a
golden key that opened it. For Raleigh promised, if he were set
free, to seek once more the fabled Golden City, and this time he
swore to find it and bring home treasure untold to his master the
King.
So once more the imprisoned sea-bird was free, and gathering men
and ships he set forth on his last voyage. He set forth bearing
with him all his hopes, all his fortune. For both Raleigh and
his wife almost beggared themselves to get money to fit out the
fleet, and with him as captain sailed his young son Walter.
A year later Raleigh returned. But he returned without his son,
with hopes broken, fortune lost. Many fights and storms had he
endured, many hardships suffered, but he had not found the Golden
City. His money was spent, his ships shattered, his men in
mutiny, and hardest of all to bear, his young son Walter lay dead
in far Guiana, slain in a fight with Spaniards.
Pages:
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515