a voyage to abyssinia-第24部分

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to　the　Turks；　we　met　with　five　elephants；　that　pursued　us；　and　if　they　could　have　come　to　us　would　have　prevented　the　miseries　we　afterwards　endured；　but　God　had　decreed　otherwise。

On　the　morrow　we　came　to　the　banks　of　a　river；　where　we　found　fourscore　Turks　that　waited　for　us；　armed　with　muskets。　　They　let　us　rest　awhile；　and　then　put　us　into　the　hands　of　our　new　masters；　who；　setting　us　upon　camels；　conducted　us　to　Mazna。　　Their　commander；　seeming　to　be　touched　with　our　misfortunes；　treated　us　with　much　gentleness　and　humanity；　he　offered　us　coffee；　which　we　drank；　but　with　little　relish。　　We　came　next　day　to　Mazna；　in　so　wretched　a　condition　that　we　were　not　surprised　at　being　hooted　by　the　boys；　but　thought　ourselves　well　used　that　they　threw　no　stones　at　us。

As　soon　as　we　were　brought　hither；　all　we　had　was　taken　from　us；　and　we　were　carried　to　the　governor；　who　is　placed　there　by　the　Bassa　of　Suaquem。　　Having　been　told　by　the　Abyssins　that　we　had　carried　all　the　gold　out　of　Aethiopia；　they　searched　us　with　great　exactness；　but　found　nothing　except　two　chalices；　and　some　relics　of　so　little　value　that　we　redeemed　them　for　six　sequins。　　As　I　had　given　them　my　chalice　upon　their　first　demand；　they　did　not　search　me；　but　gave　us　to　understand　that　they　expected　to　find　something　of　greater　value；　which　either　we　must　have　hidden　or　the　Abyssins　must　have　imposed　on　them。　　They　left　us　the　rest　of　the　day　at　a　gentleman's　house；　who　was　our　friend；　from　whence　the　next　day　they　fetched　us　to　transport　us　to　the　island；　where　they　put　us　into　a　kind　of　prison；　with　a　view　of　terrifying　us　into　a　confession　of　the　place　where　we　had　hid　our　gold；　in　which；　however；　they　found　themselves　deceived。

But　I　had　here　another　affair　upon　my　hands　which　was　near　costing　me　dear。　　My　servant　had　been　taken　from　me　and　left　at　Mazna；　to　be　sold　to　the　Arabs。　　Being　advertised　by　him　of　the　danger　he　was　in；　I　laid　claim　to　him；　without　knowing　the　difficulties　which　this　way　of　proceeding　would　bring　upon　me。　　The　governor　sent　me　word　that　my　servant　should　be　restored　to　me　upon　payment　of　sixty　piastres；　and　being　answered　by　me　that　I　had　not　a　penny　for　myself；　and　therefore　could　not　pay　sixty　piastres　to　redeem　my　servant；　he　informed　me　by　a　renegade　Jew；　who　negotiated　the　whole　affair；　that　either　I　must　produce　the　money　or　receive　a　hundred　blows　of　the　battoon。　　Knowing　that　those　orders　are　without　appeal；　and　always　punctually　executed；　I　prepared　myself　to　receive　the　correction　I　was　threatened　with；　but　unexpectedly　found　the　people　so　charitable　as　to　lend　me　the　money。　　By　several　other　threats　of　the　same　kind　they　drew　from　us　about　six　hundred　crowns。

On　the　24th　of　June　we　embarked　in　two　galleys　for　Suaquem；　where　the　bassa　resided。　　His　brother；　who　was　his　deputy　at　Mazna；　made　us　promise　before　we　went　that　we　would　not　mention　the　money　he　had　squeezed　from　us。　　The　season　was　not　very　proper　for　sailing；　and　our　provisions　were　but　short。　　In　a　little　time　we　began　to　feel　the　want　of　better　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