in the past years, they
had to pass through a country peopled by Spaniards--cowardly, indeed,
but innumerable, and only longing for revenge on the reckless crew that
had plundered so many of their rich ships and towns. Moreover,
provisions were scarce among the Spaniards themselves, and it seemed
likely that the freebooters, in their passage, would find scant
entertainment. But they were determined to risk everything, and having
prayed, and sunk their canoes that the Spaniards might make no use of
them, they set out on their journey. What followed is thus recounted by
one of their party, Raveneau de Lussan:--

The Spaniards, having been warned of our approach, employed every means
they could think of for our destruction, burning all the provisions
before us, setting fire to the prairies we entered, so that we and our
horses were almost stifled, and continually blocking our way with great
barricades of trees. About three hundred of them formed themselves into
a kind of escort, and morning and evening diverted us with the sound of
trumpets, but never dared to show their faces.

A detachment of our men were always set to fire into woods and thickets,
to find out if a Spanish ambush were concealed there. On January 9 we
reached an opening in the forest where we could see a good way before
us, and therefore did not fire. But we had been looking in front for
what was really on both sides of us, for in the bushes right and left
the Spaniards were crouching, and presently they let fly on us so
suddenly that only half the guard had time to fire back, and two of our
men were killed on the spot.

[Illustration]

On the 10th we found another ambush, where we surprised our enemies, who
took to flight, abandoning their horses, which became our property.

On the 11th, as we drew near Segovia, we found yet another ambuscade,
which we forced to retire, and passed into the town, ready to fight our
best--for we thought that here the Spaniards might make a great effort
to expel us. But they only discharged their muskets at us now and then
from the shelter of the pine-wood above the town, into which they had
fled. But we found nothing to eat, for they had burned all the
provisions.

On the 13th, having left Segovia, we climbed a hill which looked like a
good place to camp, and we saw opposite us, on a mountain slope from
which only a narrow valley divided us, twelve to fifteen hundred horses,
which for some time we took for cattle pa