OCR Text |
Show ~48 TilE UL T AND Tll!: TOTE:.!. his duty, he shall be cashiered upon the spot. And now, my comrades, this wine of Xcrcs is not amiss. Let us drink. We nrc of one mind, I perceive, in council; let our unanimity extend to our drink. I drink to the speedy overthrow of heresy, and the spread of the true faith ; both certain where the sword of valor is always ready to obey the voice of Cod!" 'l'hc toast was drank with enthusiasm. The discontents were silenced. liow should it be otherwise where the authority was so generous, com·cying its suggestions through the generous wines of Xcres, and only hinting at the possibiHty of disgrace and punishment, in the occurrence of events scarcely possible to those who claimed to drnw the sword of valor in the service of the Deity. The Adclantado gave no farther heed to the factions of his army. He probably adopted the best precautions. It is true that St. Vincent still mouthed threats of disobedience, but the policy of Melendez bad no enrs in his quarter ; and the preparations went on, without interruption, for tho march against La. Caroline ! CHAPTER VI. TilE STORMING OF LA. CA.ROLINE. TnE preparations for departure were complete. The Adclantado himself marched at tlw head of his vanguard, the inunedinte command of which \'l'as confided to Sci1or Martin de Ochoa, with a troop of Biscnyans and Astminns, armed with axes, for clearing their pathway through the fom1t. With these went the traitor, Francis J can, who had abandoned his religion and La Caroline together. Tie was watched closely, but proved faithful to his new 349 masters. Dreary, indeed, was the progress of )fclcndcz. 'i'~ c storm prcmilcd all the time. 'fhc rain soaked their ,ctarmrHII'!, and it wns with difficulty they could protect their nmmunition nml provi!l-ion~. The fourth day of the march they ,,.ere wit!Jin fiv ~ mile~ of J,a Caroline, Lut anestcd by an immense tract of :<wamp in pa.qsing which the water was up to their middles. The wl10l · country was flooded, and the frtshcl momcntly increased, in consequence of the continued rains. These had become more tcr1 iLlu in volume than ever. The windows of heaven seemed again opened for another deluge. The hearts of the Spaniards sunk, as their toils and sufferings increased. 1\Iorc than a hundred slunk awny, fdl off on the route, and made their \vay 0\'Cr the ground wl1ich th"y had trodden, rcpoding the worst of disast<>rs to their comJ·adC's, d ~fcat and d"struction, by \'l'ny of cxcusin,:; their cowanlicc. But the indomitable courage and unbending will of tln at.loluntndo, his presence and voice of command in cvcl'y qua1 tor, still prevailed to bring his remaining battalions forward. It was in Yain that his troops muttered curses upon his head. F ernan Perez, an ensign of tl1e company of St. Vincent, was bold enough to say, that "l1e could not comprehend how so many bra:re gentlemen should let themseh·es be led by a. wretched Asturian mountaineer-a. fellow who knew no more about carrying on V>ar on land than a horse !" The ensign had a. great deal more to eay of tho S.'lme sort, of wl1ich :\lelcndez was not ignorant, but of wl1ich he took no notie"'. Tie was a s.'lgc dissimulator who answered discontent with policy, and strengthened his people's hearts by divine revelation. He called another council of his officers. He told them of his prayC'rs to and consultations of llcavcn, seeking to know the will of God only in the porfonnance of his work,-persuaded that each of |