Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
844 DE CHASTE’S VOYAGE TO TERCERA.
now efteem himfelf among his moft faithful brothers and friends. They gave him a
h-rfe, as he was on foot at the head of his troop, and caufed feveral gentlemen who
followed the commander to mount behind them on their horfes, proceeding to the
city, where quarters and provifions for the French were already provided, the fame
as for the Spaniards. ‘The commander rode on direct to the houfe of ‘the marquis,
who received him with great politenefs, obferving to him afterwards, that he was
furprized that a man of his quality, and fo brave, fhould have ventured himfelf in a
place fo diftant from his own country, and with fo little hope of preferving it or even
his own lifeand honor, being accompanied by fo few men; and to afliit the moft con-
temptible nation upon earth, the Portuguefe; by the anfwer of the commander un-
derftanding that he was greatly afflicted, and hurt at his fate, as he told the marquis;
that had the reprefentations made by the king Don Anthony to the king his matter,
and the queen mother been true, his enterprize would not have met with fuch an ad-
verfe deltiny, but that he fhould have hindered the landing, and taking of the ifland ;
as he wou!d yet have done if the galleys had not reached the coaft, where, Don An-
thony had adured them, there was not depth of water for them to navigate, and the Por-
tuguefe had not abandoned him; and that he lamented exceedingly that he had not
died in the engagement, and fo been {pared the misfortune which had befallen him,
which would be a fubject of afili€tion to him as long as he lived; the marquis obferv-
ed: In good truth Mr. de Chajte it would be doing too much wrong to the French nation
not to allow their high courage and valorous enterprize, but you muft grant that they are
frequently inconfiderate, and too hafty, as I fhould efteem them to be in this inftance, but for
the apparent reafons which you alledge ; wha, however, furprizes me is to hear you mif-
name good fortune bad; for as you were deceived in the principal point of your intention,
which is no fault of yours, this I confider alone as your misfortune ; on the other hand I
efteem you very fortunate to recover what was loft, that is to fay your lives, and bearing
away only great renown acquired among us, as we have been witneffes that you and yours
have done even more than your duty, on as welbthe day of landing, as in having fought
furioufly with but a handful of men for a whole day againjt fo large and firong an army,
Jhewing nothing in your ranks but a contempt of death ; you ought therefore to rejoice, and
confider that never before did any cavalier of your nation effect fo much for obtaining a fa-
vorable refult to fo perilous an undertaking, or was more remarkable in his return to
France. He {poke in exemplification of feigneur Strofly and his army, the expedition
of the French to Florida, not one in which efcaped, and feveral other battles, where
they had been worfted, not for want of valour, but from bad condué and bad plans.
Aiter this long converfation, fupper time came on, and meat was brought on table,
with which the gentlemen who accompanied the commander were very well fatisfied,
defiring nothing better than to fet their teeth to work, whatever the fubjeét of dif-
courfe ; however they did not fup at the marquis’s, each of the Spanifh officers taking
one by the hand, and conducting them to their quarters, where they treated them (at
leaft apparently) with much good will, and where they fupped without waiting for
fauce. The commander, after fupping with the marquis, by whom he was again
affured of a faithful obfervance of the treaty, and that they fhould fpeedily be embarked
to return to France, wifhed him good night, and withdrew to the apartments of Don
Pedro de Toledo, fon of the former viceroy of Naples, a very civil and brave cavalier,
who fhewed great politenefs and kindnefs towards the French. °
‘The next day the marquis publifhed a law, forbidding throughout his army, that
any one, of whatfoever rank or quality he might be, fhould dare to moleft any of the
French, whether by words or otherwife, under pain of death ; and as well that who-
6 ever
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
