The Prime Minister by William Henry Giles Kingston
embraced theoffer the captain of the rover made me of joining his ship, and assumingthe turban, in the secret hope of being ultimately able, by these means,to make my escape. Whether he suspected me, I know not; but he wascertainly very unwilling to lose the services I was able to afford himthrough my knowledge of various languages, and a strict watch was kepton my movements, so that upwards of another long year passed awaywithout my being able to effect my purpose. The scenes of horror andoutrage I was doomed to witness, seemed to me as a punishment for mysins; but, fortunately, we never fell in with a Portuguese vessel, sothat I was guiltless of spilling the blood of any of my countrymen, tillthe chief of the pirate crew, mistaking your ship, in the night of thegale, for a merchantman, determined to give chase, in hopes of findingyou an easy conquest.
"Great, indeed, was my grief, when, on the following morning, wediscovered that you were a man-of-war and a Portuguese; for,notwithstanding all my persuasions to the contrary, he insisted onattacking you, declaring, that as you were probably short of hands, youwould fall an easy prey, and that he required a new ship as a consort tohis own. Having once made up his mind, nothing would deter him from hispurpose; and my expostulations causing my faith to be suspected, theother officers insisted that I should be placed in the most exposedsituation when we boarded, which proved, however, the salvation of mylife. Once or twice my spirits were revived by the hope that we hadmissed you; but at length the rovers resolved to cripple you, ifpossible, to prevent your escaping, though they found that they hadencountered a far more determined antagonist than they expected. When,however, some proposed drawing off, or waiting till the sea went down,to run you on board, it was discovered that two shots had enteredbetween wind and water, and that the ship was filling fast. Their onlyhope of preservation was now to run you on board, although at imminentrisk of destruction to both; but as there was no other alternative, thepurpose was immediately put into execution, and had not the shipsseparated so providentially for you at the moment they did, it isprobable either the pirates would have become the masters, or both wouldhave sunk together."
"No, no, Senhor Mendez, the vile infidels should never have becomemasters of this ship while I lived," suddenly exclaimed Captain Pinto:"say, rather, we should all have been food for fish, had not the rover,by the favour of the saints, sunk when she did: but I beg your pardonfor interrupting you."
"I have little more to add," returned Senhor Mendez, "except to expressmy joy at finding, on my recovery, that you were the victors. I mustbeg, too, that even what I have now mentioned regarding myself may notpass your lips; for surmises, with the slightest clue, may lead toinquiries, and my secret be discovered."
Both his auditors assured him that what he had said should beinviolable. "Thanks, sirs, thanks," he answered. "I have exertedmyself to give this sketch of my adventures, to remove any suspicionsyou might have entertained regarding me, the thought of which I couldnot endure, and now weariness overpowers me;" saying which, he sunkback, and appeared to slumber.
It was not until the sixth day after the engagement, that the loftyridges of the rock of Lisbon, tinged with the ruddy beams of the risingsun, greeted the anxious eyes of the voyagers, rising like a welcomebeacon out of the blue and shining ocean. The morning was pure andlovely, such as the fair clime of Portugal can often boast; the very airsparkling with animation. The gentle breeze came in irregular breathsoff the land, laden with the odour of aromatic herbs and flowers, sograteful to the senses of those who have inhaled nought but salineparticles during a protracted voyage. They had made the land rather tothe north of the rock, which was looked upon as a very good land-fall bythe old pilot; for it must be recollected that we are writing of nearlya hundred years ago, since which time navigation has made great stridesin improvement; and, as they coasted along, Don Luis eagerly watchedeach village and point they passed, while Pedro greeted, no lessdelighted, and with much more violent gesticulation, each spot of hisbeloved Portugal, as the seamen pointed it out to him.
"Ah! at length your hopes may, perhaps, be realised," said the Captain,as he came on deck, smilingly addressing Don Luis; "but you see howfallacious they before proved, and while you expected to have landed aweek ago, we have only just passed the spot where we then were; and, inthe meantime, have narrowly escaped destruction by the two great dangersof the sea--the tempest and the fight. Thus you will find it throughlife, and remember the history of Senhor Mendez: he seemed to have givenit to strengthen my advice; but observe, I do not thus bid you despair:on the contrary, I wish to prevent your falling into despondency, byteaching you to be prepared for the difficulties I know you mustencounter, and by showing you that you may surmount them. Here were wehurried away from our haven as rapidly as a man may be from the highpath of rectitude into the dark gulf of crime, and it has cost us almostas much exertion to return; but yet, at length, our haven is nigh, andwe have every prospect of attaining it."
"Believe me, captain, I am grateful for the interest you take in mywelfare," answered Don Luis, "and will endeavour to profit by yourwarning and counsels, which are of double value, as I feel that Irequired them."
"Be assured that I am not fond of giving advice to those who I know willdisregard it," answered the Captain; and, seeing that his friend wasabout to speak, he added, "remember, I will not exchange with you thecurrent coin given for advice, when both are empty and valueless; so wewill say no more on the subject."
"As you wish, my friend," answered Don Luis. "Then what think you ofyour prisoner, or rather guest, Senhor Mendez?"
"That he is rapidly recovering from his wounds," said the Captain.
"Yes, he daily gains strength," said Don Luis: "but I mean as to who heis."
"That he is one who seeks to remain unknown," responded Captain Pinto."Do not ask me further respecting him; for I cannot satisfy you, thoughhe has made me acquainted with his history. He will pass for aPortuguese born in the colonies, and I shall thus be able to afford himassistance while he remains in Lisbon; and as few even on board haveseen his countenance, and as I shall land him as a wounded man, there isno danger of his being recognised."
While this conversation was going forward, the ship was slowly runningdown the coast; and as we have ourselves sailed over the same ground, weare able accurately to describe it. On the low flat ground whichstretches away to the north of the rock of Lisbon, they could clearlyperceive with their glasses the domes and towers of the Escurial ofPortugal, the immense palace and convent of Mafra, built by that piousdebauchee, John the Fifth. This vast edifice is of a quadrangular form,showing a front towards the sea some seven hundred feet in length, witha lofty portico in the centre, which leads to the church. It seems, byits extent, rather calculated for a fortress, in which to quarter allthe troops in the kingdom, than a refuge for humble monks, or a calmretirement for royalty. A suburb, as it were, of houses and cottageshas sprung up around it.
They next passed under the serrated ridges of the rock of Lisbontowering towards the heavens, embosomed among which lies the beautifuland romantic vale of Cintra, rising, like an oasis in the wilderness,from the arid and scorched plains surrounding Lisbon. From the sea fewof its beauties can be perceived, the only conspicuous object being thecork convent of Nossa Senhora da Penha, perched like an eyrie amid themost lofty cliffs, the first name being given to it from its being linedwith cork to shield the monks from damp, as great part of it is hewn outof the solid rock. One small gap in the mountain alone allows thevoyager a glimpse of the paradise within, filled with cork, orange,citron, olive, and numerous other trees and sweet-scented shrubs.Having doubled the cape, from beneath whose caverned rock the deepmurmur of the sea was heard, they passed across the bay of Cascaes, withits low sterile cliffs, and a fresh sea breeze setting in, they enteredthe majestic Tagus by the northern passage, with a small island to theright entirely covered by a circular castle of white stone, built toprotect the mouth of the river, called the Bugio fort. The scene washighly animating to those who had spent day after day without
meeting,on the dreary expanse of waters, a friendly bark to cheer their sight,as they beheld numberless vessels, of all classes, sailing up the riverwith the fresh sea breeze, and boats of every description darting hereand there over the sparkling waves. There was the lofty Indiaman, orrichly-laden Brazilian ship, (for at that time Portugal monopolised theentire carrying trade to her colonies,) surrounded by a hundred boatswhich had come out to welcome relations and friends from their longvoyage, or to inquire for those who remained behind, or might perhapsnever return. Then there was the heavy-sailing English merchant brig,characteristic of her nation, possessing more bottom than speed, andproving to the world that the first maritime people could build theugliest vessels, not surpassed in that respect by the tub-like,yellow-sided Dutchman, laden with cheeses in the
"Great, indeed, was my grief, when, on the following morning, wediscovered that you were a man-of-war and a Portuguese; for,notwithstanding all my persuasions to the contrary, he insisted onattacking you, declaring, that as you were probably short of hands, youwould fall an easy prey, and that he required a new ship as a consort tohis own. Having once made up his mind, nothing would deter him from hispurpose; and my expostulations causing my faith to be suspected, theother officers insisted that I should be placed in the most exposedsituation when we boarded, which proved, however, the salvation of mylife. Once or twice my spirits were revived by the hope that we hadmissed you; but at length the rovers resolved to cripple you, ifpossible, to prevent your escaping, though they found that they hadencountered a far more determined antagonist than they expected. When,however, some proposed drawing off, or waiting till the sea went down,to run you on board, it was discovered that two shots had enteredbetween wind and water, and that the ship was filling fast. Their onlyhope of preservation was now to run you on board, although at imminentrisk of destruction to both; but as there was no other alternative, thepurpose was immediately put into execution, and had not the shipsseparated so providentially for you at the moment they did, it isprobable either the pirates would have become the masters, or both wouldhave sunk together."
"No, no, Senhor Mendez, the vile infidels should never have becomemasters of this ship while I lived," suddenly exclaimed Captain Pinto:"say, rather, we should all have been food for fish, had not the rover,by the favour of the saints, sunk when she did: but I beg your pardonfor interrupting you."
"I have little more to add," returned Senhor Mendez, "except to expressmy joy at finding, on my recovery, that you were the victors. I mustbeg, too, that even what I have now mentioned regarding myself may notpass your lips; for surmises, with the slightest clue, may lead toinquiries, and my secret be discovered."
Both his auditors assured him that what he had said should beinviolable. "Thanks, sirs, thanks," he answered. "I have exertedmyself to give this sketch of my adventures, to remove any suspicionsyou might have entertained regarding me, the thought of which I couldnot endure, and now weariness overpowers me;" saying which, he sunkback, and appeared to slumber.
It was not until the sixth day after the engagement, that the loftyridges of the rock of Lisbon, tinged with the ruddy beams of the risingsun, greeted the anxious eyes of the voyagers, rising like a welcomebeacon out of the blue and shining ocean. The morning was pure andlovely, such as the fair clime of Portugal can often boast; the very airsparkling with animation. The gentle breeze came in irregular breathsoff the land, laden with the odour of aromatic herbs and flowers, sograteful to the senses of those who have inhaled nought but salineparticles during a protracted voyage. They had made the land rather tothe north of the rock, which was looked upon as a very good land-fall bythe old pilot; for it must be recollected that we are writing of nearlya hundred years ago, since which time navigation has made great stridesin improvement; and, as they coasted along, Don Luis eagerly watchedeach village and point they passed, while Pedro greeted, no lessdelighted, and with much more violent gesticulation, each spot of hisbeloved Portugal, as the seamen pointed it out to him.
"Ah! at length your hopes may, perhaps, be realised," said the Captain,as he came on deck, smilingly addressing Don Luis; "but you see howfallacious they before proved, and while you expected to have landed aweek ago, we have only just passed the spot where we then were; and, inthe meantime, have narrowly escaped destruction by the two great dangersof the sea--the tempest and the fight. Thus you will find it throughlife, and remember the history of Senhor Mendez: he seemed to have givenit to strengthen my advice; but observe, I do not thus bid you despair:on the contrary, I wish to prevent your falling into despondency, byteaching you to be prepared for the difficulties I know you mustencounter, and by showing you that you may surmount them. Here were wehurried away from our haven as rapidly as a man may be from the highpath of rectitude into the dark gulf of crime, and it has cost us almostas much exertion to return; but yet, at length, our haven is nigh, andwe have every prospect of attaining it."
"Believe me, captain, I am grateful for the interest you take in mywelfare," answered Don Luis, "and will endeavour to profit by yourwarning and counsels, which are of double value, as I feel that Irequired them."
"Be assured that I am not fond of giving advice to those who I know willdisregard it," answered the Captain; and, seeing that his friend wasabout to speak, he added, "remember, I will not exchange with you thecurrent coin given for advice, when both are empty and valueless; so wewill say no more on the subject."
"As you wish, my friend," answered Don Luis. "Then what think you ofyour prisoner, or rather guest, Senhor Mendez?"
"That he is rapidly recovering from his wounds," said the Captain.
"Yes, he daily gains strength," said Don Luis: "but I mean as to who heis."
"That he is one who seeks to remain unknown," responded Captain Pinto."Do not ask me further respecting him; for I cannot satisfy you, thoughhe has made me acquainted with his history. He will pass for aPortuguese born in the colonies, and I shall thus be able to afford himassistance while he remains in Lisbon; and as few even on board haveseen his countenance, and as I shall land him as a wounded man, there isno danger of his being recognised."
While this conversation was going forward, the ship was slowly runningdown the coast; and as we have ourselves sailed over the same ground, weare able accurately to describe it. On the low flat ground whichstretches away to the north of the rock of Lisbon, they could clearlyperceive with their glasses the domes and towers of the Escurial ofPortugal, the immense palace and convent of Mafra, built by that piousdebauchee, John the Fifth. This vast edifice is of a quadrangular form,showing a front towards the sea some seven hundred feet in length, witha lofty portico in the centre, which leads to the church. It seems, byits extent, rather calculated for a fortress, in which to quarter allthe troops in the kingdom, than a refuge for humble monks, or a calmretirement for royalty. A suburb, as it were, of houses and cottageshas sprung up around it.
They next passed under the serrated ridges of the rock of Lisbontowering towards the heavens, embosomed among which lies the beautifuland romantic vale of Cintra, rising, like an oasis in the wilderness,from the arid and scorched plains surrounding Lisbon. From the sea fewof its beauties can be perceived, the only conspicuous object being thecork convent of Nossa Senhora da Penha, perched like an eyrie amid themost lofty cliffs, the first name being given to it from its being linedwith cork to shield the monks from damp, as great part of it is hewn outof the solid rock. One small gap in the mountain alone allows thevoyager a glimpse of the paradise within, filled with cork, orange,citron, olive, and numerous other trees and sweet-scented shrubs.Having doubled the cape, from beneath whose caverned rock the deepmurmur of the sea was heard, they passed across the bay of Cascaes, withits low sterile cliffs, and a fresh sea breeze setting in, they enteredthe majestic Tagus by the northern passage, with a small island to theright entirely covered by a circular castle of white stone, built toprotect the mouth of the river, called the Bugio fort. The scene washighly animating to those who had spent day after day without