How they returned again to the Island, and of the Christians that
perished.
Fortune would be false to its nature were it always to turn in one
direction; so now, playing its accustomed part, it would not permit our
ships to return altogether joyful with their share of victory; for, as
it is written in the _Commentaries_ of Cæsar, enemies cannot endure a
continued distress, nor friends a constant pleasure. Therefore we will
narrate this event, sad though it be, in this place, that our history
may keep its right order. And it was so, that on the next day very
early, the boats returned to the Island according to the agreement they
had made before, but they did not find there the nets nor the other
tackle of fishery, but only the turtles which were tied with ropes; but
they supposed that the Moors, although they had snatched away their
tackling, could not be very far distant; and so, standing there and
looking out on every side, they saw another Island, which was separated
by an arm of the sea that ran between the two, to wit, that in which
they were, and the other they saw there. And being anxious to meet with
those Moors, and thinking that fortune would not be less gracious to
them in that encounter than in all the others they had had in that
voyage, they determined to go to the said Island, to see if they could
light upon what they so desired to meet, not knowing the hidden secret
that contrary fortune had in store for them. So with haste they put
themselves into their boats, in the which they passed over to the said
Island, and like men of small advisement, not seeking to consider the
hurt that might befall them, they began to spread themselves over the
Island as boldly as if they were going through their own property in
time of great security. And as Bernard said in the Rule which he gave to
Richard, Lord of Castello Ambrosio, upon the government of his
household, that he who doth not consider that his enemy may meditate
that which he himself meditateth, exposeth himself to danger; so the
Moors having the same thought that our men had had, and standing on
their guard more carefully, had arranged three ambushes as well as they
could, behind some mounds of sand that were there, where they waited
until they perceived that our men were near them. Then, seeing their
great advantage, they discovered their treachery, and came out stoutly
upon our men, like those who sought to avenge the captivity of their
relations and friends. And although their multitude was great in
comparison of the fewness of our people, yet the latter did not turn
back, but faced them like men in whom fear had not got the upper hand of
valour: contending with their enemies a very great space, during which
the Moors received great hurt, for the blows of the Christians were not
dealt in vain; but at last our people, seeing the greatness of the
danger and how they needs must retire, began to retreat, not like men
who fled, but with all the caution and valour that such a case required.
And, of a surety, the battle was very great, and fought as by men who
did so with right good will; but the greater part of the hurt, till they
arrived at the boats, fell ever upon the Moors, for of them many died in
that retreat, whereas of the Christians, though some were wounded, not
one had yet fallen. And when they had now arrived near the boats, since
that of Alvaro Gil was the nearest or easiest to enter, there were
gathered into that one, and also into Mafaldo's, the greater part of our
Christians; but the remainder, seeking to regain the ship's boat of
Gonçallo Pacheco, fell into the extremest peril, for the boat was large,
and though it had the lightest load, yet they were not able to launch it
like the other boats, which were smaller, so that it stuck fast upon the
shore: for it seemeth that the tide was in the last quarter of its ebb.
And some of those men who knew how to swim, seeing their danger so near
at hand, threw themselves into the water, in which they saved their
lives by swimming; but the others, who did not know that art, were
forced to frame their wills to patience in the receiving of a troublous
death, defending themselves, however, as long as strength gave them aid.
And so there was an end made of seven, whose souls may God, in His
mercy, receive in the habitation of the Saints.
And as the Holy Scripture saith, that he who prayeth for another prayeth
for himself, may it please you who read this history to present your
prayer to God, that by your intercession their souls may receive some
increase in glory. The others in the two boats, seeing the death of
those men happen in this manner, betook themselves with great sadness to
the caravels; and in this sadness they departed to Arguim[N119] to take
in water, of which they were much in need. And the Moors took the[G]
boat to the river of Tider, where they broke up the greater part of her,
for they tore out the planks with the nails, but I wot not to what end,
for their wit did not suffice to make good use of these. And some said
afterwards that they had heard it said by some of those Moors who
chanced to fall into our hands, that their countrymen ate those dead
men; and although, on the other hand, other of our captives denied this,
seeking to excuse their countrymen of a matter so monstrous, at any rate
it is certain that their custom is to eat the liver of their captives
and to drink their blood: not as a general thing, but only, as was said,
in the case of those who had killed their fathers, or sons, or brothers,
counting this as a very great vengeance. And this seemeth to me a matter
of no doubt, as 'tis said in the book of Marco Polo[N120] that many
nations in those Eastern parts were generally accustomed to those
cannibal actions; and I see, too, that it is even now a common mode of
speech among us, when we reason of some man who beareth hatred against
another, that he hath such ill-will to his adversary that, if he could,
he would eat his liver and drink his blood.
[Footnote G: Captured.]
But now let us leave these matters, and return to our history.