e came on from the N.E. which lasted many days,
and drove us over to the African shore. To increase our misfortunes, the
ship sprung a leak, and made so much water that we could scarcely keep
her free.

The Spaniards are but indifferent sailors, your highness, and in a storm
are more inclined to pray than to work: they became frightened, gave
over pumping, and having lighted a candle before the image of St
Antonio, which was fixed on the stern of the vessel, began to call upon
him for assistance. Not immediately obtaining their request, they took
the image out of the shrine, abused it, called it every vile name that
they could think of, and ended with tying it against the main-mast, and
beating it with ropes.

In the meantime the vessel filled more and more; whereas, if, instead of
praying, they had continued at the pumps, we should have done well
enough, as the gale was abating, and she did not make so much water as
before.

Enraged at their cowardice, and at the idea of losing so much property
as I had on board (for I considered it as my own), I seized the image
from the mast, and threw it overboard, telling them to go to their pumps
if they wished to be saved. The whole crew uttered a cry of horror, and
would have thrown me after the image, but I made my escape up the
rigging, from whence I dared not descend for many hours.

Having now no saint to appeal to, they once more applied to the pumps.
To their astonishment, the vessel made no more water, and in the course
of a few hours she was free.

The next morning the gale was over, and we were steering for Valencia. I
observed that the captain and sailors avoided me, but I cared little
about it, as I felt that my conduct had saved the ship as well as my own
property. On the second day we anchored in the bay, and were boarded by
the authorities, who went down into the cabin, and had a long
conversation with the captain. They quitted the ship, and about an hour
afterwards I proposed going ashore, but the captain said that he could
not permit it until the next morning. While I was expostulating with him
as to the reasons for my detention, a boat rowed alongside, from out of
which came two personages dressed in black. I knew them to be familiars
of the Inquisition; and it immediately occurred to me that my
personification of the lady abbess had been discovered, and that my doom
was sealed. The captain pointed me out; they collared and handed me into
the boat, and pul