Christopher Fioravente, However, Went Out To Examine
Whence The Unusual Sound Proceeded; And Espying The Two Youths, He Ran Back
In Haste, Calling Aloud To His Companions That Two Men Were Come To Seek
Them.
Upon this the whole company ran out immediately to meet the lads, who
on their parts were terrified at the sight of so many poor famished
wretches.
These latter debated for some time among themselves whether they
should not detain one of their visitors, with the view of making themselves
more certain to procure assistance; but Quirini dissuaded them from this
projected violence. They all accompanied the youths to the boat, and
entreated the father and sons to take two of their people along with them
to their habitations, in order the sooner to procure them assistance from
thence. For this purpose they chose one Gerrard of Lyons, who had been
purser of the ship, and one Cola a mariner of Otranto, as these men could
speak French and a little German.
The boat with the fishermen, and the two men who had been deputed to seek
assistance, went over to Rostoe on Friday the 31st. of January 1432. On
their landing, the inhabitants were much astonished at their appearance,
but were not able to understand them, though the strangers addressed them
in different languages; till at last one of the strangers began to speak a
little German with a German priest of the order of friars predicant who
lived there, and informed him who they were and whence they came. On Sunday
the 2d February, which happened to be the festival of the purification of
the blessed Virgin, the priest admonished all the people of Rostoe to
assist the unhappy strangers to the utmost of their power, at the same time
representing the hardships and dangers they had undergone, and pointing to
the two famished wretches then present. Many of the congregation were
softened even to tears at the recital, and a resolution was formed to bring
away the miserable survivors as soon as possible, which they accomplished
next day. In the mean time, those who remained behind at Sandey considered
the absence of their companions as extremely long; and what with hunger,
cold and anxiety, they were almost dead. Their joy may be more easily
conceived than expressed, when they perceived six boats approaching to
their relief. On landing, the Dominican priest inquired which of them was
the captain of the unhappy crew; and when Quirini made himself known as
such, the priest presented him with some rye bread and some beer, which he
looked upon as manna sent from heaven. After this the priest took him by
the hand, and desired him to choose two of his companions to accompany him;
and Quirini pitched upon Francis Quirini of Candia, and Christopher
Fioravente a Venetian, all three embarking in the boat of the principal man
of Rostoe along with the priest. The rest of the company were distributed
in the other five boats; and these good Samaritans went even to the tents
where these unfortunates had first dwelt, taking away with them the only
survivor of the three men who had staid behind from weakness, and buried
the other two; but the poor invalid died next day.
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