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DE CHASTE’S VOYAGE TO TERCERA. 849
wounded coulc obtain, was a piece of bifcuit boiled in an earthenware pot in ftinking
water; and of this fo fmall a quantity, as fcarce to be perceptible when fwallowed.
This caufed fo great a mortality that more than two hundred perifhed. ‘Tuefday,
twenty-fourth of the fame month, the veflel, on board of which was the commander,
was near finkiig, owing to the defperation of a failor, who, lying under the cabin
either vexed atliving fo miferably, or in anguifh from the pain he experienced from a fhot
which had brcden his leg, forced open a plank of the veffel; in which there was al-
ready two feetof water, and but for the afliitance of the failors who perceived the leak,
the veffel had been loft. The fame veffel, the next day, was a fecond time in danger
from fire, whith the French failors, running to the part where {ome drunken Bifcayans
had been regiling themfelves, extinguifhed; thefe latter were accuftomed to:cook
and enjoy thenfelves in prefence of the poor French, who with joined hands, at times,
would entreat1 morfel of them for the love of God, which they paid {mall attention to,
mocking their diftrefs ; and frequently, on pafling by them, would give them kicks in
the belly and ‘he reins, telling them they were dogs and {wine to have blood voided
by them belov.
How the poor fick were treated, who died while lying one upon another in every cor-
ner of the velel, without being able to move, or help themfelves, may be imagined.
Frequently {peaking of the moft wicked nations, I have heard them compared to the
Bifcayans, but from experience I can affirm that they are the moft barbarous and leaft
friendly people upon earth : the commander was even informed one day that the Bif-
cayans had thrown a French gentkeman overboard, who was yet alive; and having no-
ticed this to the captain of the fhip, as well as the reft of their bad conduét, he an{wered
him that he was fo much hurt at having to carry people fo much afflicted, as were the
French on boird his fhip, that he wifhed the devil might fink her, with all that fhe
contained: notwith{tanding this infolence, the commander armed himfelf with patience,
in confideration of thofe who remained as hoftages behind, who might fuffer for any
punifhment inflicted on this wicked Bifcayan and his companions, which the commander
had yet the power to inflict.
Friday following, the twenty-feventh of the fame month, they began to difcover the
fea-coaft of Gallicia, where being defirous of touching at Cape Finilterre, to take in
water at the neareft village, fuch a violent ftorm arofe that moft of the failors pre-
pared to throw themfelves overboard, in order to fwim to fhore, but God calmed the
tempeft, their veflel pafling within a foot or thereabouts of the rocks. During the
whole day they were unable to make the land; but the next day they caft anchor in a
bad road of a village called Maujy, where feveral Frenchmen thinking it a remedy. for
their ficknefs, went to drink at a fpring, and after filling themfelves four or five died
upon the {pot: on this account the commander caufed them to be re-embarked. A
great number of the foldiers, upon returning on board, befought their commander to
difcharge them, and in order to obtain their requeft the more readily, they pretended
to have made a vow to go to St. James’s of Gallicia, fix or feven leagues diftant, in
order that they might be out of danger. The commander reprefented to them their.
bad health, and the rifque they ran in pafling through Spain, of being knocked on the
head, that it would be much better to wait two days longer, in which time it was to
be hoped the N. E. wind, which prevented the continuance of their voyage, would
change, that in that cafe, in twice twenty-four hours they might run 160 leagues,
which was our diftance from the French coaft, which by land it would take them two
months to travel over: he affured them further that in cafe the wind fhould not become
favourable, he was refolved upon running the fame rifk as themfélves, being thereunto
VOL. lh 52 obliged
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