FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158  
159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   >>   >|  
ld not better their condition, but that this with excessive hardships would only delay their end, many fore-stalled death by inflicting it upon themselves--some by hanging, and others by plunging into the river. Without delay his Lordship went to the gate, most fortunately for the Sangleys and with great benefit to the community, as the result showed; for if he had not been present at the gate, the fear of being besieged which all felt, would have led them to engage in hostilities with the Parian and use their arms, compelling the governor to give them his entire attention. But his Lordship in so difficult a crisis which demanded prompt and resolute action, took counsel with past experiences and present necessities, his keen and quick mind attentive to everything. Knowing well that this disturbance was caused by fear, he was unwilling to make it greater in the outcome without dissuading [the Sangleys from revolt] by acts of clemency--since an encounter with the Parian must of necessity make both [parties among the Sangleys] declared enemies, and desperation would render them terrible as had been experienced in former insurrections. Moreover, our people would be obliged to use time and people when both were scanty for the emergency that we were expecting of further conflict; since the guards necessary for fortifying the city were inadequate, on account of our pursuing the rest of the fugitives. Accordingly, the governor prudently preferred to leave them uncertain and in expectancy rather than in declared and resolute attitude, since in the former condition they were easy to subdue, which in the other case would involve a great expenditure of military supplies--which would of necessity be greatly impaired when, for a long siege, all abundance is moderation. [For economy is needed:] of provisions, when there are no funds in the treasury, and no harvest in the villages with which to supply the city with food; and of men, when there are not enough to man the walls--to say nothing of the severity of fighting and of the inclemencies of the weather with their exposure to the rains. His Lordship left the Sangleys reassured, and the rage of the Spaniards checked; he retired to the storehouses from which he immediately despatched a champan with a strong force of men in pursuit of the one that the Sangleys had stolen, and furnished all the military posts with abundance of supplies. It was past one o'clock when he returned to th
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158  
159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Sangleys
 

Lordship

 

resolute

 

governor

 

present

 
Parian
 
supplies
 

people

 
declared
 

military


necessity

 

abundance

 
condition
 

expectancy

 
uncertain
 

prudently

 
preferred
 
attitude
 

involve

 

pursuit


subdue

 

stolen

 

Accordingly

 

returned

 

guards

 

expecting

 

conflict

 

fortifying

 

fugitives

 

expenditure


pursuing

 
account
 

inadequate

 

furnished

 

greatly

 
reassured
 

checked

 
Spaniards
 

exposure

 
weather

severity
 

fighting

 
inclemencies
 
supply
 

villages

 

moderation

 
despatched
 

champan

 
strong
 

impaired