loss
of one vessel." By this the saint made known, that God had revealed to
him what had happened. He continued some time in prayer before the image
of the Virgin; and these words of his were overheard: "O my Jesus, the
desire of my heart, regard me with a favourable eye; and thou, holy
Virgin, be propitious to me! Lord Jesus," he continued, "look upon thy
sacred wounds, and remember they have given us a right to ask of thee
every thing conducing to our good."

His prayers being ended, he goes to the citadel: The governor, alarmed
with the cries and murmurs of the people, could not dissemble his
disturbance, but reproached the Father for having engaged them in this
enterprize. But Xavier upbraided him with his distrust of God; and said,
smiling, to him, "What! are you so dejected for so slight an accident?"
After which, they went in company to the shore, where the soldiers
belonging to the admiral stood in great consternation for the hazard they
had run so lately. The Father reassured them, and exhorted them to remain
constant in their holy resolution, notwithstanding their petty
misadventure: he remonstrated to them, that heaven had not permitted
their admiral to sink, but only to make trial of their faith; neither had
themselves been saved from shipwreck, but only that they might perform
their vow. In the mean time, the governor held it necessary to summon the
great council. All the officers of the town, and the principal
inhabitants, were of opinion to give over an enterprize, which, as they
thought, was begun rashly, and could have no fortunate conclusion. But
the captains and soldiers of the fleet, encouraged by the words of the
holy man, and inspired with vigour, which had something in it of more
than human, were of a quite contrary judgment. They unanimously
protested, that they had rather die than violate that faith, which they
had solemnly engaged to Jesus Christ. "For the rest," said they, "what
have we more to fear this day than we had yesterday? our number is not
diminished, though we have one vessel less, and we shall fight as well
with six foysts, as we should with seven. But, on the other side, what
hopes ought we not to conceive, under the auspices and promise of Father
Francis?"

Then Xavier taking the word, "The lost galley shall be soon made good,"
said he with a prophetic voice; "before the sun goes down, there shall
arrive amongst us two better vessels than that which perished; and this I
declare