On
Farther Inquiry, A Man 90 Years Of Age Was Found, Who Had Known The
Portuguese That Were Cast Away There, And Could Still Remember A Few
Detached Words Of Their Language.
The Portuguese set all hands to work to build a house and chapel for the
two Jesuits and four Portuguese who were to remain, and when the work
was finished, mass was solemnly said on shore, many of the natives
coming to learn how to make the sign of the cross.
One day while the
king was looking on, and saw several men labouring hard to carry a cross
that was meant to be set upon a rock, he went half naked and bareheaded,
and carried it without assistance to the place appointed. The Portuguese
might well say they had found another emperor Heraclius; for after this
pious act of gigantic strength, he became very wicked; for being ready
to sail, De Costa demanded that the king's son who had been promised
should be sent, but he denied having ever made any such promise, and
offered a slave. On this the captain sent the master and pilot with some
men to enforce the demand, and safe conduct for some Portuguese to go to
port _St Lucia_ to see an inscription said by the natives to be at that
place. The peace was thus broken, and a party of Portuguese soldiers was
sent armed against the king, who endeavoured to resist, and the king's
son, a youth of eleven years of age was brought away, the natives being
unable to contend against fire-arms.
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