passed the pipe in which I was laying, without suspicion, at a distance
upon his left, as he rode near the water; that he saw the beach covered
for a great length with numberless articles of the wreck, and that he had
been greatly disconcerted on finding the sand dug away from around a roll
of cotton, and one carried off, and no marks of footsteps, or any thing
living, excepting the sea gulls—that he had seen but one corpse, and
that of one of the sailors; that a great many chests, trunks, &c. he had
likewise seen; some half buried in the sand; others broken open by the
sea; but many that were locked and entire, and that if I wished, he would
search for my own, if I would describe it, and draw it up before the
cask. I told him that my chests were unlocked at the time we struck, and
of course the contents were scattered and sunk. He however rode away to a
great distance, and drew up at repeated times, several chests and trunks,
belonging to the passengers and seamen, saying that there were many more,
but at such a distance, so buried, or so heavy, that he could not drag
them along. He asked me for several pieces of clothing, which he had
picked up. I told him to keep whatever he pleased, as none could dispute
his right to them. He then began to plan the means for my removal; I
thought it most practicable that he should empty one of the largest
chests of its contents, and that I should get inside, and his horse
should draw me over the plains. This he told me was impossible, from the
shrubs and marshes and pools, which obstructed the path. I left it then
wholly to his care, as my head was far too heavy to talk or to reason;
and from previous exertion, even fell back into the cask. My friend then
made his lasso (a line of green hide, with which they catch wild horses,)
fast to the handle of the largest trunk, and with an assurance that he
would soon return, drove off. I listened with painful feelings to the
sound of the horse’s retreating footsteps; for on him alone rested my
hope of deliverance.
Shortly after he had gone, a guacha, a savage of fierce and murderous
countenance, rode up and alighted from his horse in great haste, and
roughly asked, ‘quien es usted?’ I replied, ’un marinero naufrago;’ ‘es
usted el capitan?’ ‘no,’ I answered; ‘estoy el pilota,’ and that I had
previously been discovered by a paysano, who had just left me to return
with assistance. He demanded the road he took; I told him, when he leaned
upon his horse and galloped off in the direction the other had taken.
It seems, as my deliverer afterwards informed me, that this savage came
up with him and endeavored by entreaties and threats, to dissuade him
from his design of assisting me; saying I had better be despatched and
buried in the sand, and then there would be none to dispute the right of
plunder. But my deliverer told him that the chief was already acquainted
with the affair, as well as his father and others, who were even then
preparing to go down to the beach; on hearing this, he lost no time, but
turning his horse, hastily spurred off in an opposite course.
During the absence of my friend, my moments in the cask were spent in the
most tormenting anxiety and suspence. I had been discovered, contrary
to all conjecture, by a friend, instead of an enemy, and one bright ray
of hope, which I hardly dared to cherish, had reanimated my soul. Now
was the fearful hazard that he should not return with timely succor. I
eagerly listened to catch the sound of his returning galloping steed;
after a while I heard the approach of several horses; I awaited their
appearance with breathless hope, for my life or my death hung upon the
moment.
What was my dismay and surprise, at the next moment, on beholding the
remorseless face of the same fellow who last had left me! his infernal
companions also dismounted, and presented their diabolical visages at the
mouth of the cask. For a few moments their ensued a violent and clamorous
dispute between them, with horrid grimaces. Resistance was madness; my
feelings I will not attempt to describe. Suddenly I saw their faces
turned to one direction; they instantly sheathed their knives, and sprang
toward their horses and vanished.
In a moment, my friend, accompanied by his father and three slaves,
alighted from their horses. They immediately set about removing me gently
from the cask, while Pedro, (the name of my discoverer,) breaking open
a passenger’s trunk, that lay near, advised me to permit him to draw
over me some of the apparel; alleging, that in my present appearance, I
should be taken by the inhabitants for a common sailor; but if clothed
in a decent manner, I should gain among them more advantage, respect
and security. I, therefore, seated on the sand, suffered the painful
operation of dressing. A surtout and waistcoat was got over me, but my
leg being so greatly swelled, prevented my getting over it any thing but
a pair of loose drawers. I was then carefully lifted on the back of the
horse; my attentive friend Pedro leaped up before me; holding on to him,
I had strength sufficient to keep myself in an upright position.
I had just been seated on the back of the animal, when the general, who
commanded the troops in this quarter, appeared with a guard of soldiers,
and several others. He took me kindly by the hand, promised me his
protection, and taking a case bottle of Aguadente from one of the guard,
reached it to me; I drank nearly half a pint, and felt much enlivened. He
then took off his pancho, or cloak, and threw it over me; asking me if I
preferred going to the cottage of the party that had me in care, or to
his own quarters. I thanked him, and in reply told him, that these had
saved my life, and I could trust them freely, and desired not to leave
them. Go on then, said he, con Dios, and to-night I will visit you. We
then set forward at a slow pace, travelling along the windings of the
beach.
I saw the body of a seaman, but we rode not near enough for me to
distinguish his features; he layed upon his back, clothed in a red baize
shirt and trowsers. I looked around to see if there were others, but my
friend assured me there were none. The beach was strewed with the wreck
to a great length, lying in every kind of position and in confused masses.
The bright rays of the setting sun, now for a few moments enlivened our
path, as we left the beach and turned off into the country, across the
plains. A negro preceded us on horseback, to sound the way, as the land
was wet and marshy. The raging waves had now subsided to an unruffled
calm, and I cast my eyes mournfully towards that treacherous sea, which
now looked so peaceful and flattering.
We arrived at last, about dusk, to a small cottage; having travelled as
I computed nearly a league. A number of large dogs gave notice of our
approach, but were soon silenced by my companions, who assisted me gently
to dismount. I was welcomed with many blessings by an old woman; carried
into her hut, seated in a chair, some clothing was brought forward, and
I soon felt the comfort of a dry shirt. ‘I have no beef or mutton in the
house,’ says the old woman, for the army take all our beasts; but we have
some fowls, which may do as well. I was soon put in the only bed in the
hut, to me a bed of down; and my kind hostess soon brought me a bowl of
good broth. After this, my leg was washed with hot vinegar, and my wounds
on my feet dressed as well as circumstances would permit.
This rancho, or hut, was a small place built like all others, of cane,
fastened together with strips of green hide, plaistered with mud, and
a thatch’d roof. The general came about dark, spent an half hour, and
retired. I considered myself as peculiarly fortunate on being now under
the care of an old woman, the indispensable attendant in sickness, and
alleviator of calamity; developing those endearing and estimable traits
of character, usefulness, patience and compassion. My leg was again
bathed in hot vinegar, and bandages of woollen applied; and my hostess
left me and retired to her repose. During the night I drank a great
quantity both of wine and water, which had been set within reach, for
my thirst was unquenchable. Two junk bottles of hot water were covered
and placed in bed against my feet; which were much swelled, chilled,
and wrinkled, and almost without feeling. This sudden application of
artificial heat to the blood, though well intended, had a most pernicious
effect; corrupting, stagnating, and destroying its natural temperature,
and causing great pain; its effects were felt many months afterwards.
During the night I slept but little. The rays of the sun breaking into
the room, announced the morning of the Sabbath, and I could in truth hail
it as a welcome and sweet day of rest.
I now took a view of the apartment and furniture; the room was partly
separated by a partition of cane poles, inside of which slept my hostess
and her two younger sons, upon the floor; as there was but one bedstead,
upon which I lay. Her eldest son, my discoverer, lay near me, wrapped up
in his pancho, or blanket; the old man, his father, lived in another hut,
at a relations, for fear of the guaches, as he was a Spaniard.
At the further end of the hovel was kept constantly burning upon a table,
on each side of a crucifix, two candles; which is the invariable custom
when any one lies dangerously sick. A separate hut for the kitchen, was
built outside. The furniture consisted of a few hide bottomed chairs,
some hide sacks and baskets, a hide sieve, and several other necessary
articles, of which hide was the principal material. During the day, I
inquired of the old woman of the state of affairs about the country, and
at Monte Video. She told me that the Portuguese were kept close within
its walls by the natives; and that any communication between the city and
country was very precarious and difficult, as a great animosity subsisted
between them. Pedro at this time had mounted his cavallo, and taken an
excursion to the beach; towards night he entered the hut, bringing in a
hide sack of flour from the wreck, which he had drawn away by the aid of
his horse; and soon after, brought in several other articles, such as
bottles of wine and cordial, a keg of butter; some rum, and a keg of wine
from a cask—these he stowed away in the interior of the hut, and then
took his seat at my bedside as usual.
In conversation, he expressed to me his fears of the intemperate and
remorseless guachas, whom he said, valued the life of a person no more
than that of a dog; that they were unsettled, roving, and lived upon
plunder. To beguile the evenings of my tedious confinement, he would also
relate to me the products of the country, its animals, &c.; a choice
horse might be bought for a dollar, though a bad saddle would cost
twenty. Ostriches were plenty in the neighborhood, valuable only for
their eggs and feathers, of which they made fans and dusters. The nature
of this bird, he said, was very singular, and he had often watched at a
distance their method of depositing their eggs; the bird, after assuring
herself of being unnoticed, would scratch a hole in the sand, deposite
her egg, and carefully covering the place, retreat slyly to the thicket,
and leave to the sun the care of hatching them.
The next day, the general came again, bringing with him several bottles
of wine and cordial, which he had taken from the wreck.
A country fellow came in soon after, an acquaintance of my hostess;
and she offered him a draught of the cordial. I shall never forget the
inexpressible contortions of countenance, the heartfelt smack, the
exclamation of wonder and relish with which he swallowed his glass of
liquor, of the taste of which, he had before no conception.
I desired the general to inform me if it was possible to send a letter
to Monte Video. He told me it was difficult, as there was but little
intercourse; but that he knew of a patriot officer, who, having a
passport, would go in a few days to the city. I therefore, the day
following, procured of the old woman, materials for writing, and a
chopping block. This I placed between my legs on the bed, and began
writing; it was a tedious business, and I could sit up no longer than to
write one line at a time. I however finished this necessary duty, and
wrote two letters; one directed to W. P. White, Esq., the only person
I was acquainted with at Monte Video, whom I had formerly known in the
capital; and another to the owners in Buenos Ayres. I briefly related
the loss of the ship, the fate of the crew, my own situation; and
advising something to be done to save the property; of which a greater
part had been washed ashore. These I gave to the girl, who in two days
forwarded them to the capital.
Pedro, during this day, was still employed, assisted by the two slaves,
in recovering articles and provisions, from the beach; which he said was
now covered with the natives, who were breaking open trunks, chests, and
bales of goods; staving in the pipes of wine, when any one wanted to
drink; and exhibiting a confused scene of plunder, fighting, and wanton
waste of goods; of which they knew not the value.
Getting drunk with the wine, on the beach, they frequently came to the
cottage, and with brutal language and savage gestures, threatened the
lives of its generous inhabitants.
As his mother was once bringing in some cakes for me from the kitchen,
the ruffians snatched them from her hand; then entering the kitchen,
seized and devoured what victuals were there, and threw away the plates.
She one day entered with tears in her eyes, and told me she was sadly
afraid of her life and my own, from the Indians; they were very bad
men;—and she had overheard a parley between them, of breaking into the
hut during the night, to plunder and murder. Indeed, their looks alone
spoke their savage character; for often, at times, laying on my bed, I
have observed them attentively, as they would sometimes venture into the
hut; and I never saw such rascally and ugly looking fellows. They were
generally of large size, long black hair, hanging like snakes down their
shoulders; thick bushy beard and mustachios; a coarse blanket or pancho
wrapped round their waist; another with a hole in the middle, through
which they thrust their heads; a turban or checked handkerchief on their
heads; horse skin boots, stripped raw from the animal’s leg, and worn raw
into the shape of the feet. These, with a sword nearly a fathom long, in
an iron scabbard, gave them a most hideous appearance; they indeed looked
like demons. All wore long knives stuck into a sheath, in the blanket
behind, which they made use of for every purpose; to kill, cut up beef,
eat with, and stab their fellow creatures.
The friendly general again came in the evening, attended by several
soldiers; and at his departure, left a guard of three at our earnest
request, who were well armed, for our defence. This military officer,
whose name was Ortugues, appeared much like one of our own country
farmers, excepting his formidable iron scabbard sword. His dress was a
short jacket of coarse blue, over which was thrown his pancho, or square
cloak, drab velvet breeches, and long boots; he seemed a well meaning and
benevolent man; but no ways capable of commanding a horde of vagabond
marauders, whom he was organising into an army, for the defence of the
country, against the encroachments of the Portuguese.
The cause of the Indians’ animosity and attempts to attack and plunder,
was, that they suspected as Pedro was the first who had discovered the
wreck on the beach, he had the first chance of booty, and of course had
obtained a great quantity of gold, silver, and other valuable property;
and had secreted them in the cottage. Impressed with this notion, which I
believe was false and groundless, they made several nightly attempts to
force the door, but were repulsed by the guard.
I passed these days very unquietly at the cottage, and time seemed to
roll most tediously slow. The old lady had some cigars and old books, and
I endeavored, by smoking and reading, to beguile the hours. The books,
though some were an hundred and fifty years old, were not uninteresting.
They consisted partly of the ‘Lives of the Martyrs;’ ‘Sermons by a Priest
at Madrid;’ and a large volume of the ‘History of the Conquest of Peru.’
In the evening, Pedro would take his seat at the bedside, and amuse and
interest me by his conversation. On an occasion like this, he said, he
would relate the following tale, which before he had no opportunity
to do. It shows that my discovery and rescue were wholly owing to a
circumstance purely fortuitous and accidental.
‘Early in the morning of Thursday,’ said he, ‘two days before you were
found on the strand, a soldier of the army of Artigas was strolling on
horseback nearer the beach than they usually travel. At about a mile
from the scene of the wreck, he discerned in a small cove at the river
side, something on the beach; and as it was uncommon to observe any
object breaking the uniformity of the sandy plain, he resolved to ride
down and examine it. It proved to be one of the kegs of butter, nearly
the size of a half barrel, which had been separated by the sea from the
other drifting articles, and washed and lodged into this little bay. The
soldier alighted from his horse, turned it over, but could not tell what
it contained. It being heavy, and thinking it of little value, he left it
and rode away. Some time after, in his return, he came near our cottage;
he had before frequently stopped here; and now resolved to go in. In the
course of conversation with me, on different affairs, he mentioned the
discovery, at the river side, of a small barrel, very heavy; containing
he knew not what, and supposed it to have drifted ashore from some
vessel. Soon after, he left the cottage, and proceeded on his journey.
That day and the next, being very stormy, cold and rainy, prevented me
from going abroad. On Saturday the weather was still unfair, but at noon
it began to clear away. I mounted my cavallo in the afternoon, and took a
ride in the direction described by the soldier, in search of the keg he
had spoken of. This I soon saw at the edge of the water, and supposing
that this was not all that had been driven ashore by the storm, I was
induced to make a further search; and recollecting that the wind had been
for several days blowing obliquely up the river, I concluded to shape my
course down the sea side for new discoveries. Accordingly, I rode on a
great distance, without seeing any thing else, and was on the point of
returning; when, on winding round a small point of land, I plainly saw at
a short distance a thousand vestiges of the wreck covering the beach. I
rode slowly through them, near the edge of the water, stopping at times
to view them, but not dismounting. I passed the cask you lay in, which I
saw was thrown very high up the beach. ‘It was rather strange,’ said he,
‘that you did not hear my horse’s steps.’ I told him I did not; for the
tread on the sand was not loud, and the roar of the sea might serve to
prevent it. ‘I traversed the whole length of the beach, and frequently
stopped to examine different objects of the wreck. I had probably been
half an hour on the beach, before I had a thought of one alive so near
me.’ I told him I was, during the period of his survey, lying quietly
in the cask, without a hope of again leaving it, and wholly unconscious
deliverance was so near. ‘In returning,’ he continued, ‘I was passing
close to the sand hill between the banks and your place of shelter, and
should have passed the cask, if I had not heard a hollow voice from
within.’ I inquired if the roll of bagging across the pipe’s mouth, did
not attract his notice. ‘No, my friend pilota,’ said Pedro, ‘I should
certainly have rode on without regarding it; for I had seen a hundred
things just before, in equally curious positions. Your voice alone, which
started me at first, caused me to dismount, and look into the cask; and
my God, I shall never forget the sight as long as I live.’ What a scene
was this for the pencil of the painter!
On the eve of about the fourth day, I asked Pedro, if any of the bodies
had washed ashore, besides the one we saw. He replied, not one; and
wondered how that alone should be cast so far on shore.
I told him I presumed it was one of the stoutest of the seamen, who had
fortunately cleared himself from the ship, without much damage, and had
resolutely continued ‘breasting the lofty surge,’ till he reached the
middle of the breakers; when, being there overpowered, he expired and
sunk; and the force of the waves then propelled the body to the shore
before it descended to the bottom.
It is surprising that human bodies will, when dead, sink and continue
at the bottom, unmoveable; while other substances, of much greater
proportionate weight, will be thrown on shore by the sea.
My friend brought in, and shew me, at different times, large detached
pieces of iron, and ring bolts, &c. which he found half buried in the
sand.
I was now slowly gaining strength; but each returning day brought fresh
alarm from the murderous designs of the villain guachas. On the fourth
night they went to the next hut upon the beach, about four miles off,
where dwelt a poor and harmless family, and robbed it of every thing
valuable, or worth taking; mortally stabbed the father; bound his
daughters, and brutally abused them. One of them, an interesting white
girl, came the next day to our hut, for some relief, and told in tears
the dreadful story.
I had about this time, a great many visiters, who all considered me
highly favored by my patron saint, to whom they attributed my hair breath
escapes. Among them, were many old women, who came from a distance, and
travelled on horseback, about the country, bartering their commodities.
A consultation was once held by them, respecting my fever, leg, and
bruises; and they recommended a large leaf of an herb, which grows in
that country; which, dipped in hot oil and vinegar, had a wonderful
and salutary effect when applied to my limb; although the application
caused a most uneasy sensation, combined with suffocating pain during two
nights; the swelling greatly subsided, excepting about the bend of the
knee. During this, for five days, I could lie in only one position in
bed, and that on my right side; my wounded leg lying on pillows; the knee
bent about half way; in which unvaried bend, it remained in fact, more
than a month.
I could instantly perceive a change of wind, on the least motion; and
once on moving, when the wind had shifted to the north, the effect was
so electric as to cause me to scream aloud. And when, at last, I was
compelled to relieve for a moment my painful and palsying posture, it was
the task of half an hour to turn myself in bed.
My appetite, at this time, had become insatiate, and though I could not
get so much to eat as I wanted, owing to the care of my old nurse, I
ate great quantities, and drank all that came within my reach; keeping
bottles of liquor under my pillow, for my night supply. The smallest
lad’s chief occupation was to bring in water; of which, during the twelve
days I remained here, I believe I drank fifty gallons, besides half a
dozen bottles of cordial, a dozen of wine, ten gallons of port, in a keg,
and several bottles of other liquors; all of which Pedro had saved from
the beach.
My condition appeared to engross all the attention of my kind hostess,
and occupy all her care and time. She never entered the apartment, nor
went to sleep, without the kind question of ‘que quero usted, pilota?’
(what is wanting;) and the answer was usually, ‘water.’
I asked her one afternoon what reward she expected, or what recompense
I should give; or what return I could make, for her untiring goodness.
‘Speak not of it, Don Horky,’ said she; ‘who can tell but that my son
Pepe, may go to other countries by sea, and be shipwrecked, and cast
ashore, and that your mother may then do that and more, for him, than I
am doing now for you.’ It was an answer heartfelt, I believe, by us both,
though I smiled to think on the improbability that Pedro could be thrown
ashore in a storm, upon a wharf in Boston.
This family had lived many years happily and comfortably in Monte Video,
previous to its surrender to the Patriots, in 1813; but were then
compelled to quit their home; and since that period, had suffered, as
well as many other families, all the hardships to which their adhesion
to the cause of old Spain, exposed them. The old man, her husband, was
in constant fear of his life; and during my stay at the hut, which drew
many unwelcome visiters, appeared only once or twice, and then only in
the evening; living otherwise, as before mentioned, at a relation’s,
concealed.