a voyage to abyssinia-第19部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


d　reproaches　of　the　whole　army。　　After　this　they　inflicted　various　kinds　of　tortures　on　him；　which　he　endured　with　incredible　resolution；　and　without　uttering　the　least　complaint；　praising　the　mercy　of　God　who　had　ordained　him　to　suffer　in　such　a　cause。

Mahomet；　at　last　satisfied　with　cruelty；　made　an　offer　of　sending　him　to　the　viceroy　of　the　Indies；　if　he　would　turn　Mussulman。　　The　hero　took　fire　at　this　proposal；　and　answered　with　the　highest　indignation　that　nothing　should　make　him　forsake　his　heavenly　Master　to　follow　an　impostor；　and　continued　in　the　severest　terms　to　vilify　their　false　prophet；　till　Mahomet　struck　off　his　head。

Nor　did　the　resentment　of　Mahomet　end　here；　he　divided　his　body　into　quarters；　and　sent　them　to　different　places。　　The　Catholics　gathered　the　remains　of　this　glorious　martyr；　and　interred　them。　　Every　Moor　that　passed　by　threw　a　stone　upon　his　grave；　and　raised　in　time　such　a　heap；　as　I　found　it　difficult　to　remove　when　I　went　in　search　of　those　precious　relics。

What　I　have　here　related　of　the　death　of　Don　Christopher　de　Gama　I　was　told　by　an　old　man；　who　was　an　eye…witness　of　it：　　and　there　is　a　tradition　in　the　country　that　in　the　place　where　his　head　fell；　a　fountain　sprung　up　of　wonderful　virtue；　which　cured　many　diseases　otherwise　past　remedy。



Chapter　VI



Mahomet　continues　the　war；　and　is　killed。　　The　stratagem　of　Peter　Leon。


Mahomet；　that　he　might　make　the　best　use　of　his　victory；　ranged　over　a　great　part　of　Abyssinia　in　search　of　the　Emperor　Claudius；　who　was　then　in　the　kingdom　of　Dambia。　　All　places　submitted　to　the　Mahometan；　whose　insolence　increased　every　day　with　his　power；　and　nothing　after　the　defeat　of　the　Portuguese　was　supposed　able　to　put　a　stop　to　the　progress　of　his　arms。

The　soldiers　of　Portugal；　having　lost　their　chief；　resorted　to　the　Emperor；　who；　though　young；　promised　great　things；　and　told　them　that　since　their　own　general　was　dead；　they　would　accept　of　none　but　himself。　　He　received　them　with　great　kindness；　and　hearing　of　Don　Christopher　de　Gama's　misfortune；　could　not　forbear　honouring　with　some　tears　the　memory　of　a　man　who　had　come　so　far　to　his　succour；　and　lost　his　life　in　his　cause。

The　Portuguese；　resolved　at　any　rate　to　revenge　the　fate　of　their　general；　desired　the　Emperor　to　assign　them　the　post　opposite　to　Mahomet；　which　was　willingly　granted　them。　　That　King；　flushed　with　his　victories；　and　imagining　to　fight　was　undoubtedly　to　conquer；　sought　all　occasions　of　giving　the　Abyssins　battle。　　The　Portuguese；　who　desired　nothing　more　than　to　re…establish　their　reputation　by　revenging　the　affront　put　upon　them　by　the　late　defeat；　advised　the　Emperor　to　lay　hold　on　the　first　opportunity　of　fighting。　　Both　parties　joined　battle　with　equal　fury。　　The　Portuguese　directed　all　their　force　against　that　part　where　Mahomet　was　posted。　　Peter　Leon；　who　had　been　servant　to　the　general；　singled　the　King　out　among　the　crowd；　and　shot　him　into　the　head　with　his　musket。　　Mahomet；　finding　himself　wounded；　would　have　retired　out　of　the　battle；　and　was　followed　by　Peter　Leon；　till　he　fell　down　dead；　the　Portuguese；　alighting　from　his　horse；　cut　off　one　of　his　ears。　　The　Moors　being　now　without　a　leader；　continued　the　fight　but　a　little　time；　and　at　length　fled　different　ways　in　the　utmost　disorder；　the　Abyssinians　pursued　them；　and　made　a　prodigious　slaughter。　　One　of　them；　seeing　the　King's　body　on　the　ground；　cut　off　his　head　and　presented　it　to　the　Emperor。　　The　sight　of　it　filled　the　whole　camp　with　acclamations；　every　one　applauded　the　valour　and　good　fortune　of　the　Abyssin；　and　no　reward　was　thought　great　enough　for　so　important　a　service。　　Peter　Leon；　having　stood　by　some　time；　asked　whether　the　King　had　but　one　ear？　if　he　had　two；　says　he；　it　seems　likely　that　the　man　who　killed　him　cut　off　one　and　keeps　it　as　a　proof　of　his　exploit。　　The　Abyssin　stood　confused；　and　the　Portuguese　produced　the　ear　out　of　his　pocket。　　Every　one　commended　the　stratagem；　and　the　Emperor　commanded　the　Abyssin　to　restore　all　the　presents　he　had　received；　and　delivered　them　with　many　more　to　Peter　Leon。

I　imagined　the　reader　would　not　be　displeased　to　be　informed　who　this　man　was；　whose　precious　remains　were　searched　for　by　a　viceroy　of　Tigre；　at　the　command　of　the　Emperor　himself。　　The　commission　was　directed　to　me；　nor　did　I　ever　receive　one　that　was　more　welcome　on　many　accounts。　　I　had　contracted　an　intimate　friendship　with　the　Count　de　Vidigueira；　viceroy　of　the　Indies；　and　had　been　desired　by　him；　when　I　took　my　leave　of　him；　upon　going　to　Melinda；　to　inform　myself　where　his　relation　was　buried；　and　to　send　him　some　of　his　relics。

The　viceroy；　son…in…law　to　the　Emperor；　with　whom　I　was　joined　in　the　commission；　gave　me　many　distinguishing　proofs　of　his　affection　to　me；　and　of　his　zeal　for　the　Catholic　religion。　　It　was　a　journey　of　fifteen　days　through　part　of　the　country　possessed　by　the　Galles；　which　made　it　necessary　to　take　troops　with　us　for　our　security；　yet；　notwithstanding　this　precaution；　the　hazard　of　the　expedition　appeared　so　great；　that　our　friends　bid　us　farewell　with　tears；　and　looked　upon　us　as　destined　to　unavoidable　destruction。　　The　viceroy　had　given　orders　to　some　troops　to　join　us　on　the　road；　so　that　our　little　army　grew　stronger　as　we　advanced。　　There　is　no　making　long　marches　in　this　country；　an　army　here　is　a　great　city　well　peopled　and　under　exact　government：　　they　take　their　wives　and　children　with　them；　and　the　camp　hath　its　streets；　its　market　places；　its　churches；　courts　of　justice；　judges；　and　civil　officers。

Before　they　set　forward；　they　advertise　the　governors　of　provinces　through　which　they　are　to　pass；　that　they　may　take　care　to　furnish　what　is　necessary　for　the　subsistence　of　the　troops。　　These　governors　give　notice　to　the　adjacent　places　that　the　army　is　to　march　that　way　on　such　a　day；　and　that　they　are　assessed　such　a　quantity　of　bread；　beer；　and　cows。　　The　peasants　are　very　exact　in　supplying　their　quota；　being　obliged　to　pay　double　the　value　in　case　of　failure；　and　very　often　when　they　have　produced　their　full　share；　they　are　told　that　they　have　been　deficient；　and　condemned　to　buy　their　peace　with　a　large　fine。

When　the　providore　has　received　these　contributions；　he　divides　them　according　to　the　number　of　persons；　and　the　want　they　are　in：　　the　proportion　they　observe　in　this　distribution　is　twenty　pots　of　beer；　ten　of　mead；　and　one　cow　to　a　hundred　loaves。　　The　chief　officers　and　persons　of　note　carry　their　own　provisions　with　them；　which　I　did　too；　though　I　afterwards　found　the　precaution　unnecessary；　for　I　had　often　two　or　three　cows　more　than　I　wanted；　which　I　bestowed　on　those　whose　allowance　fell　short。

The　Abyssins　are　not　only　obliged　to　maintain　the　troops　in　their　march；　but　to　repair　the　roads；　to　clear　them；　especially　in　the　forests；　of　brambles　and　thorns；　and　by　all　means　possible　to　facilitate　the　passage　of　the　army。　　They　are；　by　long　custom；　extremely　ready　at　encamping。　　As　soon　as　they　come　to　a　place　they　think　convenient　to　halt　at；　the　officer　that　commands　the　vanguard　marks　out　with　his　pike　the　place　for　the　King's　or　viceroy's　tent：　every　one　knows　his　rank；　and　how　much　grou