Moreover, he says he is from Padron, and those of
that place are all thieves and drunkards. They once played me a
trick, and I would gladly be at the shooting of the whole pueblo.
I now interfered, and said that if they shot the guide they must
shoot me too; expatiating at the same time on the cruelty and
barbarity of taking away the life of a poor unfortunate fellow who,
as might be seen at the first glance, was only half witted; adding,
moreover, that if any person was guilty in this case it was myself,
as the other could only be considered in the light of a servant
acting under my orders.
"The safest plan after all," said the alcalde, "appears to be, to
send you both prisoners to Corcuvion, where the head alcalde can
dispose of you as he thinks proper. You must, however, pay for
your escort; for it is not to be supposed that the housekeepers of
Finisterra have nothing else to do than to ramble about the country
with every chance fellow who finds his way to this town." "As for
that matter," said Antonio, "I will take charge of them both. I am
the valiente of Finisterra, and fear no two men living. Moreover,
I am sure that the captain here will make it worth my while, else
he is no Englishman. Therefore let us be quick and set out for
Corcuvion at once, as it is getting late. First of all, however,
captain, I must search you and your baggage. You have no arms, of
course? But it is best to make all sure."
Long ere it was dark I found myself again on the pony, in company
with my guide, wending our way along the beach in the direction of
Corcuvion. Antonio de la Trava tramped heavily on before, his
musket on his shoulder.
Myself. - Are you not afraid, Antonio, to be thus alone with two
prisoners, one of whom is on horseback? If we were to try, I think
we could overpower you.
Antonio de la Trava. - I am the valiente do Finisterra, and I fear
no odds.
Myself. - Why do you call yourself the valiente of Finisterra?
Antonio de la Trava. - The whole district call me so. When the
French came to Finisterra, and demolished the fort, three perished
by my hand. I stood on the mountain, up where I saw you scrambling
to-day. I continued firing at the enemy, until three detached
themselves in pursuit of me. The fools! two perished amongst the
rocks by the fire of this musket, and as for the third, I beat his
head to pieces with the stock. It is on that account that they
call me the valiente of Finisterra.
Myself. - How came you to serve with the English fleet? I think I
heard you say that you were present when Nelson fell.
Antonio de la Trava. - I was captured by your countrymen, captain;
and as I had been a sailor from my childhood, they were glad of my
services. I was nine months with them, and assisted at Trafalgar.
I saw the English admiral die. You have something of his face, and
your voice, when you spoke, sounded in my ears like his own. I
love the English, and on that account I saved you. Think not that
I would toil along these sands with you if you were one of my own
countrymen. Here we are at Duyo, captain. Shall we refresh?
We did refresh, or rather Antonio de la Trava refreshed, swallowing
pan after pan of wine, with a thirst which seemed unquenchable.
"That man was a greater wizard than myself," whispered Sebastian,
my guide, "who told us that the drunkards of Finisterra would play
us a trick." At length the old hero of the Cape slowly rose,
saying, that we must hasten on to Corcuvion, or the night would
overtake us by the way.
"What kind of person is the alcalde to whom you are conducting me?"
said I.
"Oh, very different from him of Finisterra," replied Antonio.
"This is a young Senorito, lately arrived from Madrid. He is not
even a Gallegan. He is a mighty liberal, and it is owing chiefly
to his orders that we have lately been so much on the alert. It is
said that the Carlists are meditating a descent on these parts of
Galicia. Let them only come to Finisterra, we are liberals there
to a man, and the old valiente is ready to play the same part as in
the time of the French. But, as I was telling you before, the
alcalde to whom I am conducting you is a young man, and very
learned, and if he thinks proper, he can speak English to you, even
better than myself, notwithstanding I was a friend of Nelson, and
fought by his side at Trafalgar."
It was dark night before we reached Corcuvion. Antonio again
stopped to refresh at a wine-shop, after which he conducted us to
the house of the alcalde. His steps were by this time not
particularly steady, and on arriving at the gate of the house, he
stumbled over the threshold and fell. He got up with an oath, and
instantly commenced thundering at the door with the stock of his
musket. "Who is it?" at length demanded a soft female voice in
Gallegan. "The valiente of Finisterra," replied Antonio; whereupon
the gate was unlocked, and we beheld before us a very pretty female
with a candle in her hand. "What brings you here so late,
Antonio?" she inquired. "I bring two prisoners, mi pulida,"
replied Antonio. "Ave Maria!" she exclaimed, "I hope they will do
no harm." "I will answer for one," replied the old man; "but, as
for the other, he is a nuveiro, and has sunk more ships than all
his brethren in Galicia.
