Throwback Thursday: All That Glitters

Afoot upon a brand new continent,
Don Pedro, just sixteen, but prouder than
The peacocks strolling his estate, had spent
Less than a day before he'd found his man.
That man had promised, via grunts and signs
To lead our Pedro to the secret site
Where could be found the metal forming lines
And clustered patterns on his breast plate, bright
And yellow. It took weeks to get there, through
Rank jungles, deadly insects, rivers full
Of tiny, hungry devils, but 'twas true:
His treasure was abundant. Then the wool
Came off his eyes when shipmates saw his haul:
His men had died for pyrite, one and all.