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840 DE CHASTE’S VOYAGE TO TERCERA!
this he learnt from a negro who had efcaped from a Spaniard, and who was flying to-
wards the mountains. ‘lhe commander feeing himfelf deceived by the count, and by
the Portuguefe, of which not fifty would have fought, and ferving only to nourifh panic
among the French, he reflected on the expediency of returning to the village of Noftre
Dame Dagar de Loup, in order to entrench himfelf, and hold out with his troops as
long as poifible. Immediately on entering the place, he caufed the men to begin
working at the barriers and entrenchments, and affigned a ftation for his captains,
where, by eleven at night, all the foldiers aflembled, and began to make a noife, exclaim-
ing in a loud voice. ‘To arms, to arms, we muft maffacre our general and his captains,
they defign to fave themfelves, and leave us in pledge :”” and elected a chief to conduct
them to the marquis de St. Croix with their colours, meaning to throw themfelves upon
hismercy. ‘The commander upon obferving this, left his apartment, entered the corps
de Garde, where the foldiers were aflembled, and enquired the caufe of the noife.
They told him they knew very well that it was his defign to fave himfelf with his
captains, which he denied ; he told them if he had been fo difpofed, he fhould have
done fo on the day of the battle; that he had had an opportunity, having been folicited
thereto by captains Roflet, Chaurin, and Girard, of the marine, who were not
then in want of boats; that they might enquire of them the anfwer which he had made
them; which was, that he would rather plunge his {word through his heart, than be
euilty of fuch a bafe a¢tion; that he would live and die with his companions. ‘This the
captains of the marines declared aloud ; but ‘ J/ee-very well, faid the commander, that
there are fome cowards among you who have invented this tale inorder to ruin us; fome,
who prefer dragging ona miserable exiftence in the gallies, which is the highe/t favour they
can expect from a Spaniard, than to die an honourable death. . To fatisfy them farther he
{wore to them, that he would either lofe his life or place them at liberty, and that he
would be the laft to leave the ifland. ‘The commander thinking he had reafoned with
them enough, returned to his apartment; where a few hours after he heard a fimilar
alarm; they had elected for their chief a ferjeant of capt. Armiffac’s company, who ex-
claimed aloud, ‘* Let us, let us kill our captains, I hall now begin with mine,” he at the
fame time prefented the point of his halbert towards capt. Caffon, who reprefented
to him the confequences of fuch an alarm; but the commander caufed the man
to be hung on board of fhip, on his return from Tercera, not being then enabled to pu-
pifh him, on account of the cowards and mutineers being the moft numerous; the
greateft part of the good foldiers being either dead, wounded, or fick ; neverthelefs,
he went from his apartment, and expofed to them their crime, in ruining themfelves
in fuch an infamous manner, and in crediting that he fhould make his efeape; an aélion
soo deteftable for any man of honour to follow, and which, in fact, were he fo bafe as
to intend, he had not the means of effecting ; but to fatisfy them entirely on that fubject,
he defired that forty or fifty of them fhould mount guard over him at the houfe where
he lodged, with feven or eight of his wounded attendants. This was done, and the fol-
lowing day they went to fetch captain Caffon, an Italian, whom, by entreaty, they pre-
yailed upon to go to their commander, the general, to implore him to fend to treat
with the marquis de Santa Cruz, promifing in cafe of a refufal to die at his feet, and
give no more difturbance. The commander having heard this from captain Caffon,
anfwered that he was not difpofed to be dictated to by fuch a fet, that he knew very well
what it was his duty to do; and defired him to affemble them together, which having
been effected, he addrefled them for the third time: Fellow foldiers—I am forely con-
cerned that bearing thename of Frenchmen, you fhould have fo little regard thereto, being no
longer capable of bearing with your infolence, Lam refolved, let what will follow, to ie
with
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