Atahuallpa, he will show him English strength; espouse his quarrel
against the Spaniards; make him glad to become Queen Elizabeth's
vassal tributary, perhaps leave him a bodyguard of English veterans,
perhaps colonise his country, and so at once avenge and protect the
oppressed Indians, and fill the Queen's treasury with the riches of a
land equal, if not superior, to Peru and Mexico.

Such is his dream; vague perhaps: but far less vague than those with
which Cortez and Pizarro started, and succeeded. After a careful
survey of the whole matter, I must give it as my deliberate opinion,
that Raleigh was more reasonable in his attempt, and had more fair
evidence of its feasibility, than either Cortez or Pizarro had for
theirs. It is a bold assertion. If any reader doubts its truth, he
cannot do better than to read the whole of the documents connected
with the two successful, and the one unsuccessful, attempts at
finding a golden kingdom. Let them read first Prescott's 'Conquests
of Mexico and Peru,' and then Schomburgk's edition of Raleigh's
'Guiana.' They will at least confess, when they have finished, that
truth is stranger than fiction.

Of Raleigh's credulity in believing in El Dorado, much has been said.
I am sorry to find even so wise a man as Sir Robert Schomburgk, after
bearing good testimony to Raleigh's wonderful accuracy about all
matters which he had an opportunity of observing, using this term of
credulity. I must dare to differ on that point even with Sir Robert,
and ask by what right the word is used? First, Raleigh says nothing
about El Dorado (as every one is forced to confess) but what Spaniard
on Spaniard had been saying for fifty years. Therefore the blame of
credulity ought to rest with the Spaniards, from Philip von Huten,
Orellano, and George of Spires, upward to Berreo. But it rests