Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1846-12-10
From Southern 4 Western Lit Mes & Req
AN EPISODE IN THE LIFE OF DOM SEBASTIAN.
King of Portugal.
CHAPTER ]

The 4th of August, 1878, was almost at
its close. The las, rays of the sun had
long since ceased to gild the horizon, and
the silver moon was pouring her light in
unclonded majesty OIL the fatal field of
Alcacer-quiver; but those plains, which
throughout the day had rung with the
shock of con,ending squadrons. and the
shouts Of the comba,an,s. were now silent
and deserted, excep, by the dead. There
they lay Christian and lnfdel, noble
and vassal, Emir and slave, all blended in
indis,inguishable slaughter! Far as the
eye could stretch, the pride of Portugal
and of Africa strewed the earth; and the
rays Of the moon were only reflected from
the shattered armor, and the useless wea-
pons. which those gallant warriors, so
full of hope and ardor, had that day WELD
ed, and which their vigorless hands still
grasped even in death! Three hosts. each
led by King, had that morn met in con
fic,: their bes, and bravest covered the
earth; but their leaders-where were they?
The victor, or he whom the !aure!s of
victory ought to have crowned. had died
ere the close Of the fight; not indeed as a
warrior should die, but smit,en by the
hand of disease at the very moment in
which his unconquerable energy had
turned the tide of success in his favor
His rival had met his fate in the swollen
waters of the Mucasm, while flying from
the battle which had awakened him from
his dreams of crown, and reduced him,
instead of pressing the throne of Fee, to
! become trembling fugitive; and the third
the young and arden, sovereign of Por-
,ugal;-he, who. flushed with hope, and
burning for conquest over the infdel, had
rashlv led the flower Of his kingdom to
perish on those fatal plains; -where was
he ! Had lie at last found the death, which
he had so ardently sought when he saw
the ruin his rashness and inexperience
had brough, on his faithful followers !
Was he captive to the Moori or had he
succeeded in joining tine wreck of his
once gallant army, which had escaped
from the battle and was now making lis
mournful way to Arzlla!
None of these was the fact. Dom Sc
bas,ian had indeed fought long aud des
pera,ely with few friends in defence of
the royal standard, which his faithful AL.
feres, Luis de Brio had preserved to the
last; and while seeking only TO slay, care
less Of self-defence, and already severely
wounded, had been struck down appa-
rently ifeless by Moorish scimilar.
-. When he recovered his senses,
lie was alone his gallant friends were
slain or captive, and the inide foe was
far away, pursuing, with undated feroci-
ly. the miserable relics of the christian
hosts. Slowly he rose from the earth,
and with feelings of bitter regret, saw
near him the body of his faithful friend
and counsellor. the Condo de Vimioso,
| who had throughout been opposed to the
! expedition, and even in ArzlIla had made
las. vain effort TO turn Dom Sebastian
| from his determination of marching by
land TO Larache; yet had nevertheless fol-
lowed his young King to the field. and
together with his gallant son. had been
slain in his defence. Dom Sebastian was
unarmed and defenceless his rich attire
and coronet,ed helmet had attracted the
notice of some spoiler. who had torn
them from him as he lay senseless As
he gazed around. his looks rested more
than once on the body of some well known
follower, and he cursed the fortune which
had preserved his life when so many had
persisted through his fault. But it was
no time to linger; the vilest plunderer o
no ri nnd III Ia,
with the once powerful king; and captivi
ity TO the inidel was. to his proud spirit
worse than death itself. STOPPING dowr
then. he took the sword which the Condo
de Vimioso's hand still retained: This owl
had disappeared;l and then, with slow
and staggering steps, quilted the bloody
field.
He had proceeded in this way for abou
an hour, when he was reused from The
bitter reflections in which he had beer
buried. by the tramp of horse behinl
him. and turning, beheld in The brigh
moonlight a Moorish cavalier, armed al
all points, who, SO soon as he caugh
sight Of the unhappy King. drew hi:
sclmitar. and rising up, called on him te
surrender. Dom Sebastian, worn .ou
with fatigue and loss Of blood, fe, tha
all hope of escape was lost, but, resolved
to die as became one of his lofty station
and noble descent, he heaved up will
difficulty his heavy sword. and put him
self in position of defence. at the same
time exclaiming, Never TO an in6del = il
firm and decided tone.
The Moor dashed his charger at him
but what was Dom Sebastian's asionsh
men, when, at the very moment he ex
pecled to be crushed beneath its hoofs
the rider suddenly refined up his sleed
threw himself hastily from the saddle, ant
dropping on one knee, exclaimed,
HAS. Their, the King Of Portugal for.
gotten his slave, Abdallah!
The amazed monarch gazed on hin
without recognition, when the Moor pro.
ceeded,
Has, then, the King so soon forgotten
his servant whose liberty and life he this
morning saved! Has he forgotten tn,
Moorish cavalier whom he found JUNIORS
ed. hopelessly contending with band oil
foes. and sinking beneath their uni,et