Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

a cruize against the French and Spaniards, with whom Great Britain was then at war. In this secure asylum Nicolas enjoyed the first happy moments he had experienced for a long time past, and being lively good-humoured little fellow, and one tha touched the guitar and sung sequidillas with a tole able grace, he soon recommended himself to his ship mates, and grew in favour with every body on board from the captain to the cook's mate.

Whe they were out upon their cruize hovering on the Spanish coast, it occurred to Nicolas that the inquis idor general at Madrid had told him of the expected arrival of the president of Quito, and having impart ed this to one of the lieutenants, he reported it to the captain, and, as the intelligence seemed of importance, he availed himself of it by hawling into the track of the homeward-bound galleons, and great was the joy, when at the break of the morning the man at the mast-head announced a square-rigged vessel in view the ardor of a chace now set all hands at work, and a few hours brought them near enough to discern that she was a Spanish frigate, and seemingly from a long voyage: little Pedrosa, as alert as the rest, stript himself for his work, and repaired to his post in the cock-pit, whilst the thunder of the guns rolled incessantly overhead; three cheers from the whole crew at length announced the moment of victory, and a few more minutes ascertained the good news that the prize was a frigate richly laden from the South Seas, with the governor of Quito and his suite on board. Pedrosa was now called

upon deck, and sent on board the prize as interpreter to the first lieutenant, who was to take possession of her. He found every thing in confusion, a deck covered with the slain, and the whole crew in cou sternation at an event they were in no degree prepared for, not having received any intimation of a war. He found the officers in general, and the pas

sengers without exception, under the most horrid impressions of the English, and expecting to be plundered, and perhaps butchered without mercy. Don Manuel de Casafonda the governor, whose countehance bespoke a constitution far gone in a decline, had thrown himself on a sofa in the last state of despair, and given way to an effusion of tears; when the lieutenant entered the cabin, he rose trembling from his couch, and with the most supplicating action presented to him his sword, and with it a casket which he carried in his other hand; as he tendered these spoils to his conqueror, whether through weakness, or of his own will, he made a motion of bending his knee; the generous Briton, shocked at the unmanly overture, caught him suddenly with both hands, and turning to Pedrosa, said aloud-"Con

vince this gentleman he is fallen into the hands of 66 an honourable enemy."-" .""Is it possible!" cried Don Manuel, and lifting up his streaming eyes to the countenance of the British officer, saw humanity, valour, and generous pity so strongly charactered in his youthful features, that the conviction was irresistible. "Will he not accept my sword?" cried the Spaniard. "He desires you to wear it, till he has

the honour of presenting you to his captain.""Ah then he has a captain," exclaimed Don Manuel, "his superior will be of another way of think

ing; tell him this casket contains my jewels; they "are valuable; let him present them as a lawful prize, which will enrich the captor; his superior will not hesitate to take them from me."If they are your excellency's private property," replied Pedrosa, "I am ordered to assure "you, that if your ship was loaded with jewels, no British officer in the service of his king will take "them at your hands; the ship and effects of his Catholic Majesty are the only prize of the captors the personals of the passengers are inviolate."

B

........

“Generous nation!" exclaimed Don Manuel, “how 86 greatly have I wronged thee!"-The boats of the British frigate now came alongside, and part of the crew were shifted out of the prize, taking their clothes and trunks along with them, in which they were very cordially assisted by their conquerors. The barge soon after came aboard with an officer in the stern-sheets, and the crew in their white shirts and velvet caps, to escort the governor and the ship's captain on board the frigate, which lay with her sails to the mast awaiting their arrival; the accommodation ladder was slung over the side, and manned for the prisoners, who were received on the gang-way by the second lieutenant, whilst perfect silence and the strictest discipline reigned in the ship, where all were under the decks, and no inquisitive curious eyes were suffered to wound the feelings of the conquered even with a glance; in the door of his cabin stood the captain, who received them with that modest complaisance, which does not revolt the unfortunate by an overstrained politeness; he was a man of high birth and elegant manners, with a heart as benevolent as it was brave: such an address, set off with a person finely formed and perfectly engaging, could not fail to impress the prisoners with the most favourable ideas, and as Don Manuel spoke French fluently, he could converse with the British captain without the help of an interpreter: As he expressed an impatient desire of being admitted to his parole, that he might revisit friends and connections, from which he had been long separated, he was overjoyed to hear that the English ship would carry her prize into Lisbon; and that he would there be set on shore and permitted to make the best of his way from thence to Madrid; he talked of his wife with all the ardor of the. most impassioned lover, and apologized for his fears by imputing them to the agony of his mind and the infirmity of his health under the dread of being long

[ocr errors]

er separated from an object so dear to his heart, and on whom he doated with the fondest affection. The generous captor indulged him in these conversations, and, being a husband himself, knew how to allow for all the tenderness of his sensations. "Ah, sir,'

cried Don Manuel, "would to Heaven it were in 66 my power to have the honour of presenting my be"loved Leonora to you on our landing at Lisbon"Perhaps," added he, turning to Pedrosa, who at that moment entered the cabin, "this gentleman, "whom I take to be a Spaniard, may have heard the "name of Donna Leonora de Casafonda; if he has "been at Madrid, it is possible he may have seen "her; should that be the case, he can testify to her "external charms; I alone can witness to the ex"quisite perfection of her mind."" Senor Don "Manuel," replied Pedrosa, "I have seen Donna "Leonora, and your excellency is warranted in all 66 you can say in her praise; she is of incomparable Z beauty." These words threw the uxorious Spaniard into raptures; his eyes sparkled with delight;, the blood rushed into his emaciated cheeks, and every feature glowed with unutterable joy: he pressed Pedrosa with a variety of rapid enquiries, all which he evaded by pleading ignorance, saying that he had only had a casual glance of her, as she passed along the Pardo. The embarrassment, however, which accompanied these answers, did not escape the English captain, who shortly after drawing Pedrosa aside into the surgeon's cabin, was by him made acquainted with the melancholy situation of that unfortunate lady, and every particular of the story as before reláted; nay, the very vial was produced, with its contents, as put into the hands of Pedrosa by the inquisidor. "Can there be such villainy in man?" cried the British captain, when Pedrosa had concluded his detail; "alas! my heart bleeds for this

[ocr errors]

unhappy husband: assuredly that monster has de

[ocr errors]

"stroyed Leonora; as for thee, Pedrosa, whilst the "British flag flies over thy head, neither Spain, nor "Portugal, nor Inquisitors, nor Devils, shall annoy "thee under its protection; but if thou ever ventur "est over the side of this ship, and rashly settest on "one foot upon Catholic soil, when we arrive at Lis bon, thou art a lost man."—" I were worse than "madman," replied Nicolas, "should I attempt it." "Keep close in this asylum then," resumed the captain, and fear nothing: had it been our fate to "have been captured by the Spaniard, what would have become of thee?"-In the worst of extremi "ties," replied Nicolas, "I should have applied to "the inquisidor's vial; but I confess I had no fears "of that sort; a ship so commanded, and so manned, "is in little danger of being carried into a Spanish port."""I hope not," said the captain, "and I promise thee thou shalt take thy chance in her, sa "long as she is afloat under,my command, and if "we live to conduct her to England, thou shalt have "thy proper share of prize-money, which, if the gai.

66

leon breaks up according to her entries, will be "something towards enabling thee to shift, and if "thou art as diligent in thy duty, as I am persuaded "thou wilt be, whilst I live thou shalt never want a " seaman's friend."—At these cheering words, little Nicolas threw himself at the feet of his generous preserver, and with streaming eyes poured out his thanks from a heart animated with joy and gratitude.-The captain raising him by the hand, forbade him as he prized his friendship, ever to address him in that posture any more; "thank me, if you will," added he, "but thank me as one man should another; let "no knees bend in this ship but to the name of God. "But now," continued he, "let us turn our "thoughts to the situation of our unhappy Casafon. "da; we are now drawing near to Lisbon, where he "will look to be liberated on his parole."-" By no

« AnteriorContinuar »