Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-08-01
CHAPTER x.


90 to wait until he comes to me-in this
world or the next"
CHAPTER x
THE LAND OF MoNTEZUMA.
AS it chanced, large Spanish carak
named Las Cinlue Liagas, or The FlVe
Wounds, was about to sail for Hispaniola,
and having obtained a license to trade l
took passage in her under my assumed
name of D'Aila, passing myself OF as
merchant To further this deception l
purchased goods to the value of lOo pesos,
and Of suoh nature as Twas informed were
most readily salable in the Indies, which
merchandise shipped with me. The YES
sci was full of Spanish adventures, most
" rufians of varied career and strange his
tory, but none the less good companions
enough when not in drink. By this time
I could speak Castilian so perfectly and
was so Spanish in appearance, that 1T
was not difficult for me to pass myself on
as one Of their nation, and this did, in
venting feigned tale of my parentage
and of the reasons that led me to tempt
the seas. For the rest, now, as ever, Kept
my own counsel, and notwithstanding my
reserve, for I would not mingle In their
orgies, I soon became well liked by my
comrades, chiefly because of my Skill In
ministering to their sicknesses.
OF our voyage to the Indies much could
be written after the manner of sea tales,
most of all of Dc Garcia, whom I cncoun-
tered on a Spanish slaveship, where l
found refuge after the loss of tho carak,
near the port of Santo Domingo. But l
hasten now to write of my fortunes, both
evil and good, and of my trials on account
of De Garcia in the land Of Montezu1na,
and of her whose story have long delay
ed, Montezuma's daughter From tho
power of De Garcia, for ho was an officer
in that abominable slayeship, escaped BY
leaping into the sea.
In drifting barrel floated away when
the murderous slaves thought the sharks
were making food of me, and from death
by starving I was spared through a fish
that snatched from the talons OF gull
and deyoured raw. The hard wood and
iron bands of my tub shielded me from tho
teeth of ravenous shark, and In it l float
ed through the breakers to the shores OF
lowly lying land and into the mouth OF
great river. At length, when the barrel
drifted in not 1nore than four feet of water,
I slid down from it, and wading to tho
bank cast myself ut length there to rest
and thank God, who thus far had preserved
me miraculously. Then I staggered to my
feet and walked along the bank OF the rlv.
er till I came to u pool Of rainwatcr,
which on tho tasting proved to be sweet
and good. drank, weeping for JOY at tho
taste of the water, drank till l could drink
no more, and let those who have stood in
such plight remember what water was to
them, for no words of mino can tell it.
After I had drunk and washed the brine
from my face and body and been thus re-
freshed cast myself down to sleep in the
shade Of bush bearing white flowers, for
was utterly outworn.
When I opened my eyes again, it was
night, and doubtless I should have slept
on through many hours had it not been for
dreadful itch and pain that took me IN
every part till at length sprang up and
cursed in my agony. At first was at
loss to know what occasioncd this torment
till I perceived that the air was alive with
gnatlike insects which made singing
noise, and then settling on my flesh sucked
blood and spat poison into the wound at
one and the same time. These dreadful
insects the Spaniards name mosquitoes.
Nor were they the only flies, for hundreds
of other creatures no bigger than pins
head had fastened onto mo like bulldogs to
q baited bear, boring their heads into the
flesh, where in the end they cause testers.
They are named garrapatas by the Span
x.1- I, ~ 41,.,x nf hn
tick. Others there were also, too numerous
to mention, and of every shape and size,
though they had this in common-all bit
and all were venomous.
Before the morning these plaques had
driven me almost to madness, for In no
way could obtain relief from them. To-
ward dawn went and lay in the water,
thinking to lessen my sufferings, but be-
fore I had been there 10 minutes saw
huge crocodile rise up from the mud be-
side me- sprang away to the bank hor-
ribly cfraid, for never before had beheld
so monstrous and evil looking brute, to
fall again into the clutches Of the crea-
lures, winged and crawling, that were
waiting for me there by myriads.
But enough of these damnable insectsl
At length the morning broke and found
me'in sorry plight, for my face was swol.
len to the size of pumpkin by thr venom
of the mosquitoes, and the rest Of my Body
was in little better case. Moreover, could
not keep myself still because Of the itch
ing, but must run and Jump like mad
man. And where was to run'to through
this huge swamp, in which I could see no
shelter or sign of manf could not guess,
90 since I must keep moving I followed
the bank Of the river, as walked disturb.
ing many crocodiles and loathsome snakes
Now, knew that could not live long In
such suffering and determined to strug-
gle forward till fell down insensible and
death put an end to my torments
For an hour or more went on thus till
came to place that was clear Of bush
and reeds. Across this I skipped and
danced, striking with my swollen hands
at the gnats which buzzed about my head
Now the end was not far off, for was e1-
hausted and near to falling when sudden
" came upon party of men, brown in
color and clothed with white garments,
who had been fishing in the river. By
them on the water were several canoes In
which were loads of merchandise, and they
were now engaged in eating. So soon as
these men caught sight of INC they uttered
exclamations in an unknown tongue, and
seizing weapons that lay by them, bows
and arrows and wooden clubs set on their
side with spikes of 1inty glass, they made
toward me as though to kill mo.
Now lifted up my hands praying for
mercy, and seeing that Twas unarmcd and
helpless the men laid down their arms and
addressed me. I shook my head to show
that could not understand and pointed
first to the sea and then to my swollen
features. They nodded, and going to one
of the canoes man brought from it
paste Of brown color and aromatic smell.
Then by signs he directed INC to remove
such garments us remained on me, the
fashion of which seemed to puzzle them
greatly. This being done, they proceeded