ELBA (the ancient Ilva), a small island in the Mediterranean, near the coast of Tuscany, to which it now belongs. It is 60 miles in circumference, and contains iron, silver, loadstone, and marble. The climate is mild. This island was allotted to Napoleon in 1814, on his abdication of the crown of France. He quitted it February 26, 1815.

EL DORADO. When the zeal for travels, conquests, and discoveries in America, first began to develop itself among the Spaniards and other nations of Europe, those who thirsted for adventure and aggrandizement were not content with the actual wonders of the New World, but they taxed their imaginations for the creation of realms in which the splendors of fairyland were surpassed. Various circumstances contributed to add authority and influence to these fables. The tale that is oftentimes repeated, is generally regarded as true, particularly when the narrators are skilful, and have weighty reasons for disguising the truth. These were not wanting with regard to the fable of El Dorado, or the Golden Region. It was believed, currently, that somewhere in Guiana, there existed a kingdom the wealth of which surpassed that of any known region on the face of the globe. Along the whole coast of the Spanish Main, it was believed that, in the interior of the country, there existed a land whose importance and riches it was impossible to exaggerate. These rumors are said to have had reference to the kingdom of Bogota and Tunja, now New Grenada. What was rather singular with regard to El Dorado, was, that the nearer adventurers approached to it, the farther off it appeared to be. The Peruvians had accounts of its existence in the Nuero Reyno; the adventurers of that country believed that it existed in Peru. In fact it appeared like the blessed isle of Indian song, which actually fled from the footsteps of

pursuers.

Imagination, however, soon supplied the proper data. Tired of profitless wanderings, the gold hunters fixed upon a certain region (in Guiana,) as the locality of the kingdom of El Dorado. Nor was it a very difficult matter to make maps of the country, to crowd it with lakes and rivers, to refine its inhabitants, to perfect its arts, and to heighten its splendor. The story ran thus. After the fall of the Incas, a younger brother of Atabalipa, collecting what treasures he could lay hands upon, fled to an inland country, and founded a inagnificent em

pire. This potentate was indifferently styled the Great Paytiti, the Great Moxo, the Enim or Great Paru. From interested motives, men of intelligence and reputation scrupied not to confirm the tales of this empire, and lend the sanction of their names to the most absurd and puerile fictions. Thus Sir Walter Raleigh, aware of the important results of colonizing Guiana, lured adventurers onward by displaying before them the most enticing pictures of the Gilded Monarch and his realm. He even did not hesitate to attempt to pass upon Queen Elizabeth as facts, the monstrous fables, which his heated mind was alone capable of receiving.

At

An unblushing impostor asserted that he had himself been in Manoa, the capital of the imaginary kingdom, and that in the street of silversmiths, no fewer than three thousand workmen were employed. This traveller was very minute in his details, and produced a map which he had projected, and which was marked with the situation of a hill of gold, one of silver, and one of salt. The gorgeous palace of the emperor was held on high by magnificent and symmetrical pillars of porphyry and alabaster, and encircled by galleries which were formed of ebony and cedar, curiously wrought. about the period of Raleigh's first expedition, it was believed at Paraguay that the court of the Great Moxo had been actually discovered and visited. At this time the description of the interior varied a little from that which we have just given above. A vast lake of exquisite transparency and softness reflected the palace, which was built upon an island in its centre. The material of the edifice was snow-white marble of a peculiar brilliancy. Two towers guarded the entrance, standing on each side of a superb column, which shot up to the height twenty-five feet, and bore upon its capital an immense silver moon, while two living lions were attached by massy chains of solid gold to its pedestal. These animals, like the dragons of a fairy-tale, defended the entrance to a place which outshone the realms of fairy. We know not whether an acquaintance with magic was necessary to quiet the vigilance of these wild guards, or whether they were well-bred creatures, disposed to make allowances for the curiosity of visiters, and permit them an easy entrance into the palace of El Dorado. Be that as it may-having passed those guards, you entered a quadrangle, where you could not fail to be delighted with the freshness and shade of the green trees, and the fragrant coolness and musical murmur of a silver fountain, which gushed and