a voyage to abyssinia-第31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！


etter　stores；　and　thought　ourselves　happy　in　meeting　with　a　gelve；　which；　though　small；　was　a　much　better　sailer　than　our　vessel；　in　which　I　was　sent　to　Suaquem　to　procure　camels　and　provisions。　　I　was　not　much　at　my　ease；　alone　among　six　Mahometans；　and　could　not　help　apprehending　that　some　zealous　pilgrim　of　Mecca　might　lay　hold　on　this　opportunity；　in　the　heat　of　his　devotion；　of　sacrificing　me　to　his　prophet。

These　apprehensions　were　without　ground。　　I　contracted　an　acquaintance；　which　was　soon　improved　into　a　friendship；　with　these　people；　they　offered　me　part　of　their　provisions；　and　I　gave　them　some　of　mine。　　As　we　were　in　a　place　abounding　with　oysterssome　of　which　were　large　and　good　to　eat；　others　more　smooth　and　shining；　in　which　pearls　are　foundthey　gave　me　some　of　those　they　gathered；　but　whether　it　happened　by　trifling　our　time　away　in　oyster…　catching；　or　whether　the　wind　was　not　favourable；　we　came　to　Suaquem　later　than　the　vessel　I　had　left；　in　which　were　seven　of　my　companions。

As　they　had　first　landed；　they　had　suffered　the　first　transports　of　the　bassa's　passion；　who　was　a　violent；　tyrannical　man；　and　would　have　killed　his　own　brother　for　the　least　advantagea　temper　which　made　him　fly　into　the　utmost　rage　at　seeing　us　poor；　tattered；　and　almost　naked；　he　treated　us　with　the　most　opprobrious　language；　and　threatened　to　cut　off　our　heads。　　We　comforted　ourselves　in　this　condition；　hoping　that　all　our　sufferings　would　end　in　shedding　our　blood　for　the　name　of　Jesus　Christ。　　We　knew　that　the　bassa　had　often　made　a　public　declaration　before　our　arrival　that　he　should　die　contented　if　he　could　have　the　pleasure　of　killing　us　all　with　his　own　hand。　　This　violent　resolution　was　not　lasting；　his　zeal　gave　way　to　his　avarice；　and　he　could　not　think　of　losing　so　large　a　sum　as　he　knew　he　might　expect　for　our　ransom：　　he　therefore　sent　us　word　that　it　was　in　our　choice　either　to　die；　or　to　pay　him　thirty　thousand　crowns；　and　demanded　to　know　our　determination。

We　knew　that　his　ardent　thirst　of　our　blood　was　now　cold；　that　time　and　calm　reflection　and　the　advice　of　his　friends　had　all　conspired　to　bring　him　to　a　milder　temper；　and　therefore　willingly　began　to　treat　with　him。　　I　told　the　messenger；　being　deputed　by　the　rest　to　manage　the　affair；　that　he　could　not　but　observe　the　wretched　condition　we　were　in；　that　we　had　neither　money　nor　revenues；　that　what　little　we　had　was　already　taken　from　us；　and　that　therefore　all　we　could　promise　was　to　set　a　collection　on　foot；　not　much　doubting　but　that　our　brethren　would　afford　us　such　assistance　as　might　enable　us　to　make　him　a　handsome　present　according　to　custom。

This　answer　was　not　at　all　agreeable　to　the　bassa；　who　returned　an　answer　that　he　would　be　satisfied　with　twenty　thousand　crowns；　provided　we　paid　them　on　the　spot；　or　gave　him　good　securities　for　the　payment。　　To　this　we　could　only　repeat　what　we　had　said　before：　he　then　proposed　to　abate　five　thousand　of　his　last　demand；　assuring　us　that　unless　we　came　to　some　agreement；　there　was　no　torment　so　cruel　but　we　should　suffer　it；　and　talked　of　nothing　but　impaling　and　flaying　us　alive；　the　terror　of　these　threatenings　was　much　increased　by　his　domestics；　who　told　us　of　many　of　his　cruelties。　This　is　certain；　that　some　time　before；　he　had　used　some　poor　pagan　merchants　in　that　manner；　and　had　caused　the　executioner　to　begin　to　flay　them；　when　some　Brahmin；　touched　with　compassion；　generously　contributed　the　sum　demanded　for　their　ransom。　　We　had　no　reason　to　hope　for　so　much　kindness；　and；　having　nothing　of　our　own；　could　promise　no　certain　sum。

At　length　some　of　his　favourites　whom　he　most　confided　in；　knowing　his　cruelty　and　our　inability　to　pay　what　he　demanded；　and　apprehending　that；　if　he　should　put　us　to　the　death　he　threatened；　they　should　soon　see　the　fleets　of　Portugal　in　the　Red　Sea；　laying　their　towns　in　ashes　to　revenge　it；　endeavoured　to　soften　his　passion　and　preserve　our　lives；　offering　to　advance　the　sum　we　should　agree　for；　without　any　other　security　than　our　words。　　By　this　assistance；　after　many　interviews　with　the　bassa's　agents；　we　agreed　to　pay　four　thousand　three　hundred　crowns；　which　were　accepted　on　condition　that　they　should　be　paid　down；　and　we　should　go　on　board　within　two　hours：　　but；　changing　his　resolution　on　a　sudden；　he　sent　us　word　by　his　treasurer　that　two　of　the　most　considerable　among　us　should　stay　behind　for　security；　while　the　rest　went　to　procure　the　money　they　promised。　　They　kept　the　patriarch　and　two　more　fathers；　one　of　which　was　above　fourscore　years　old；　in　whose　place　I　chose　to　remain　prisoner；　and　represented　to　the　bassa　that；　being　worn　out　with　age；　he　perhaps　might　die　in　his　hands；　which　would　lose　the　part　of　the　ransom　which　was　due　on　his　account；　that　therefore　it　would　be　better　to　choose　a　younger　in　his　place；　offering　to　stay　myself　with　him；　that　the　good　old　man　might　be　set　at　liberty。

The　bassa　agreed　to　another　Jesuit；　and　it　pleased　Heaven　that　the　lot　fell　upon　Father　Francis　Marquez。　　I　imagined　that　I　might　with　the　same　ease　get　the　patriarch　out　of　his　hand；　but　no　sooner　had　I　begun　to　speak　but　the　anger　flashed　in　his　eyes；　and　his　look　was　sufficient　to　make　me　stop　and　despair　of　success。　　We　parted　immediately；　leaving　the　patriarch　and　two　fathers　in　prison；　whom　we　embraced　with　tears；　and　went　to　take　up　our　lodging　on　board　the　vessel。



Chapter　XV



Their　treatment　on　board　the　vessel。　　Their　reception　at　Diou。　　The　author　applies　to　the　viceroy　for　assistance；　but　without　success；　he　is　sent　to　solicit　in　Europe。


Our　condition　here　was　not　much　better　than　that　of　the　illustrious　captives　whom　we　left　behind。　　We　were　in　an　Arabian　ship；　with　a　crew　of　pilgrims　of　Mecca；　with　whom　it　was　a　point　of　religion　to　insult　us。　　We　were　lodged　upon　the　deck；　exposed　to　all　the　injuries　of　the　weather；　nor　was　there　the　meanest　workman　or　sailor　who　did　not　either　kick　or　strike　us。　　When　we　went　first　on　board；　I　perceived　a　humour　in　my　finger；　which　I　neglected　at　first；　till　it　spread　over　my　hand　and　swelled　up　my　arm；　afflicting　me　with　the　most　horrid　torture。　　There　was　neither　surgeon　nor　medicines　to　be　had；　nor　could　I　procure　anything　to　ease　my　pain　but　a　little　oil；　with　which　I　anointed　my　arm；　and　in　time　found　some　relief。　　The　weather　was　very　bad；　and　the　wind　almost　always　against　us；　and；　to　increase　our　perplexity；　the　whole　crew；　though　Moors；　were　in　the　greatest　apprehension　of　meeting　any　of　those　vessels　which　the　Turks　maintain　in　the　strait　of　Babelmandel；　the　ground　of　their　fear　was　that　the　captain　had　neglected　the　last　year　to　touch　at　Moca；　though　he　had　promised。　　Thus　we　were　in　danger　of　falling　into　a　captivity　perhaps　more　severe　than　that　we　had　just　escaped　from。　　While　we　were　wholly　engaged　with　these　apprehensions；　we　discovered　a　Turkish　ship　and　galley　were　come　upon　us。　　It　was　almost　calmat　least；　there　was　not　wind　enough　to　give　us　any　prospect　of　escapingso　that　when　the　galley　came　up　to　us；　we　thought　ourselves　lost　without　remedy；　and　had　probably　fallen　into　their　hands　had　not　a　breeze　sprung　up　just　in　the　instant　of　danger；　which　carried　us　down　the　channe