Military Memoirs of Capt. George Carleton by Daniel Defoe

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We lay that Night at _Altea_, famous for its Bay for Ships to water at.
It stands on a high Hill; and is adorn'd, not defended, with an old
Fort.

Thence we came to _Alicant_, where having now been a whole Year, and
having effected what was held necessary, I once more prevail'd upon the
Governor to permit me to take another Journey. The Lord _Galway_ lay at
_Tarraga_, while _Lerida_ lay under the Siege of the Duke of _Orleans_;
and having some Grounds of Expectation given me, while he was at
_Alicant_, I resolv'd at least to demonstrate I was still living. The
Governor favour'd me with Letters, not at all to my Disadvantage; so
taking Ship for _Barcelona_, just at our putting into the Harbour, we
met with the _English_ Fleet, on its Return from the Expedition to
_Toulon_ under Sir _Cloudsly Shovel_.

I stay'd but very few Days at _Barcelona_, and then proceeded on my
intended Journey to _Tarraga_; arriving at which Place I deliver'd my
Packet to the Lord _Galway_, who receiv'd me with very great Civility;
and to double it, acquainted me at the same time, that the Governor of
_Alicant_ had wrote very much in my Favour: But though it was a known
Part of that noble Lord's Character, that the first Impression was
generally strongest, I had Reason soon after to close with another
Saying, equally true, _That general Rules always admit of some
Exception_. While I was here we had News of the taking of the Town of
_Lerida_; the Prince of _Hesse_ (Brother to that brave Prince who lost
his Life before _Monjouick_) retiring into the Castle with the
Garrison, which he bravely defended a long time after.

When I was thus attending my Lord _Galway_ at _Tarraga_, he receiv'd
Intelligence that the Enemy had a Design to lay Siege to _Denia_;
whereupon he gave me Orders to repair there as Engineer. After I had
receiv'd my Orders, and taken Leave of his Lordship, I set out,
resolving, since it was left to my Choice, to go by way of _Barcelona_,
and there take Shipping for the Place of my Station; by which I propos'd
to save more time than would allow me a full Opportunity of visiting
_Montserat_, a Place I had heard much Talk of, which had fill'd me with
a longing Desire to see it. To say Truth, I had been told such
extravagant Things of the Place, that I could hardly impute more than
one half of it to any thing but _Spanish_ Rhodomontado's, the Vice of
extravagant Exaggeration being too natural to that Nation.

_MONTSERAT_ is a rising lofty Hill, in the very Middle of a spacious
Plain, in the Principality of _Catalonia_, about seven Leagues distant
from _Barcelona_ to the Westward, somewhat inclining to the North. At
the very first Sight, its Oddness of Figure promises something
extraordinary; and given at that Distance the Prospect makes somewhat of
a grand Appearance: Hundreds of aspiring Pyramids presenting themselves
all at once to the Eye, look, if I may be allowed so to speak, like a
little petrify'd Forrest; or, rather, like the awful Ruins of some
capacious Structure, the Labour of venerable Antiquity. The nearer you
approach the more it affects; but till you are very near you can hardly
form in your Mind any thing like what you find it when you come close to
it. Till just upon it you would imagine it a perfect Hill of Steeples;
but so intermingled with Trees of Magnitude, as well as Beauty, that
your Admiration can never be tir'd, or your Curiosity surfeited. Such I
found it on my Approach; yet much less than what I found it, was so soon
as I enter'd upon the very Premisses.

Now that stupendious Cluster of Pyramids affected me in a Manner
different to all before; and I found it so finely group'd with verdant
Groves, and here and there interspers'd with aspiring, but solitary
Trees, that it no way lessened my Admiration, while it increased my
Delight. Those Trees, which I call solitary, as standing single, in
opposition to the numerous Groves, which are close and thick (as I
observ'd when I ascended to take a View of the several Cells) rise
generally out of the very Clefts of the main Rock, with nothing, to
Appearance, but a Soil or bed of Stone for their Nurture. But though
some few Naturalists may assert, that the Nitre in the Stone may afford
a due Proportion of Nourishment to Trees and Vegetables; these, in my
Opinion, were all too beautiful, their Bark, Leaf, and Flowers, carry'd
too fair a Face of Health, to allow them even to be the Foster-children
of Rock and Stone only.

Upon this Hill, or if you please, Grove of Rocks, are thirteen Hermits
Cells, the last of which lies near the very Summit. You gradually
advance to every one, from Bottom to Top, by a winding Ascent; which to
do would otherwise be Impossible, by reason of the Steepness; but though
there is a winding Ascent to every Cell, as I have said, I would yet set
at defiance the most observant, if a Stranger, to find it feasible to
visit them in order, if not precaution'd to follow the poor _Borigo_, or
old Ass, that with Paniers hanging on each Side of him, mounts
regularly, and daily, up to every particular Cell. The Manner is as
follows:

In the Paniers there are thirteen Partitions; one for every Cell. At the
Hour appointed, the Servant having plac'd the Paniers on his Back, the
Ass, of himself, goes to the Door of the Convent at the very Foot of the
Hill, where every Partition is supply'd with their several Allowances of
Victuals and Wine. Which, as soon as he has receiv'd, without any
further Attendance, or any Guide, he mounts and takes the Cells
gradually, in their due Course, till he reaches the very uppermost.
Where having discharg'd his Duty, he descends the same Way, lighter by
the Load he carry'd up. This the poor stupid Drudge fails not to do, Day
and Night, at the stated Hours.

Two Gentlemen, who had join'd me on the Road, alike led by Curiosity,
seem'd alike delighted, that the End of it was so well answer'd. I could
easily discover in their Countenances a Satisfaction, which, if it did
not give a Sanction to my own, much confirm'd it, while they seem'd to
allow with me that these reverend Solitaries were truly happy Men; I
then thought them such; and a thousand times since, reflecting within my
self, have wish'd, bating their Errors, and lesser Superstitions, my
self as happily station'd: For what can there be wanting to a happy
Life, where all things necessary are provided without Care? Where the
Days, without Anxiety or Troubles, may be gratefully passed away, with
an innocent Variety of diverting and pleasing Objects, and where their
Sleep sand Slumbers are never interrupted with any thing more offensive,
than murmuring Springs, natural Cascades, or the various Songs of the
pretty feather'd Quiristers.

But their Courtesy to Strangers is no less engaging than their Solitude.
A recluse Life, for the Fruits of it, generally speaking, produces
Moroseness; Pharisaical Pride too often sours the Temper; and a mistaken
Opinion of their own Merit too naturally leads such Men into a Contempt
of others; But on the contrary, these good Men (for I must call them as
I thought them) seem'd to me the very Emblems of Innocence; so ready to
oblige others, that at the same Instant they seem'd laying Obligations
upon themselves. This is self-evident, in that Affability and
Complaisance they use in shewing the Rarities of their several Cells;
where, for fear you should slip any thing worthy Observation, they
endeavour to instil in you as quick a Propensity of asking, as you find
in them a prompt Alacrity in answering such Questions of Curiosity as
their own have inspir'd.

In particular, I remember one of those reverend old Men, when we were
taking Leave at the Door of his Cell, to which out of his great Civility
he accompany'd us, finding by the Air of our Faces, as well as our
Expressions, that we thought ourselves pleasingly entertain'd; to divert
us afresh, advanc'd a few Paces from the Door, when giving a Whistle
with his Mouth, a surprising Flock of pretty little Birds, variegated,
and of different Colours, immediately flock'd around him. Here you
should see some alighting upon his Shoulders, some on his awful Beard;
others took Refuge on his snow-like Head, and many feeding, and more
endeavouring to feed out of his Mouth; each appearing emulous and under
an innocent Contention, how best to express their Love and Respect to
their no less pleased Master.

Nor did the other Cells labour under any Deficiency of Variety: Every
one boasting in some particular, that might distinguish it in something
equally agreeable and entertaining. Nevertheless, crystal Springs
spouting from the solid Rocks were, from the highest to the lowest,
common to them all; and, in most of them, they had little brass Cocks,
out of which, when turn'd, issu'd the most cool and crystalline Flows of
excellent pure Water. And yet what more affected me, and which I found
near more Cells than one, was the natural Cascades of the same
transparent Element; these falling from one Rock to another, in that
warm, or rather hot Climate, gave not more delightful Astonishment to
the Eye, than they afforded grateful Refreshment to the whole Man. The
Streams falling from these, soften, from a rougher tumultuous Noise,
into such affecting Murmurs, by Distance, the Intervention of Groves, or
neighbouring Rocks, that it were impossible to see or hear them and not
be chann'd.

Neither are those Groves grateful only in a beautiful Verdure; Nature
renders them otherwise delightful, in loading them with Clusters of
Berries of a perfect scarlet Colour, which, by a beautiful Intermixture,
strike the Eye with additional Delight. In short, it might nonplus a
Person of the nicest Taste, to distinguish or determine, whether the
Neatness of their Cells within, or the beauteous Varieties without, most
exhaust his Admiration. Nor is the Whole, in my Opinion, a little
advantag'd by the frequent View of some of those pyramidical Pillars,
which seem, as weary of their own Weight, to recline and seek Support
from others in the Neighbourhood.

When I mention'd the outside Beauties of their Cells, I must be thought
to have forgot to particularize the glorious Prospects presented to your
Eye from every one of them; but especially from that nearest the Summit.
A Prospect, by reason of the Purity of the Air, so extensive, and so
very entertaining that to dilate upon it properly to one that never saw
it, would baffle Credit; and naturally to depaint it, would confound
Invention. I therefore shall only say, that on the _Mediterranean_ Side,
after an agreeable Interval of some fair Leagues, it will set at
defiance the strongest Opticks; and although _Barcelona_ bounds it on
the Land, the Eyes are feasted with the Delights of such an intervening
Champion (where beauteous Nature does not only smile, but riot) that the
Sense must be very temperate, or very weak, that can be soon or easily
satisfy'd.

Having thus taken a View of all their refreshing Springs, their
grateful Groves, and solitary Shades under single Trees, whose Clusters
prov'd that even Rocks were grown fruitful; and having ran over all the
Variety of Pleasures in their several pretty Cells, decently set off
with Gardens round the, equally fragrant and beautiful, we were brought
down again to the Convent, which, though on a small Ascent, lies very
near the Foot of this terrestrial Paradise, there to take a Survey of
their sumptuous Hall, much more sumptuous Chapel, and its adjoining
Repository; and feast our Eyes with Wonders of a different Nature; and
yet as entertaining as any, or all, we had seen before.

Immediately on our Descent, a Priest presented himself at the Door of
the Convent, ready to shew us the hidden Rarities. And though, as I
understood, hardly a Day passes without the Resort of some Strangers to
gratify their Curiosity with the Wonders of the Place; yet is there, on
every such Occasion, a superior Concourse of Natives ready to see over
again, out of meer Bigotry and Superstition, what they have seen,
perhaps, a hundred times before. I could not avoid taking notice,
however, that the Priest treated those constant Visitants with much less
Ceremony, or more Freedom, if you please, than any of the Strangers of
what Nation soever; or, indeed, he seem'd to take as much Pains to
disoblige those, as he did Pleasure in obliging us.

The Hall was neat, large and stately; but being plain and unadorn'd with
more than decent Decorations, suitable to such a Society, I hasten to
the other.

When we enter'd the Chapel, our Eyes were immediately attracted by the
Image of our Lady of _Montserat_ (as they call it) which stands over the
Altar-Piece. It is about the natural Stature; but as black and shining
as Ebony it self. Most would imagine it made of that Material; though
her Retinue and Adorers will allow nothing of the Matter. On the
contrary, Tradition, which with them is, on some Occasions, more than
tantamount to Religion, has assur'd them, and they relate it as
undoubted Matter of Fact, that her present Colour, if I may so call it,
proceeded from her Concealment, in the Time of the _Moors_, between
those two Rocks on which the Chapel is founded; and that her long lying
in that dismal Place chang'd her once lovely White into its present
opposite. Would not a Heretick here be apt to say, That it was greaty
pity that an Image which still boasts the Power of acting so many
Miracles, could no better conserve her own Complexion? At least it must
be allow'd, even by a good Catholick, to carry along with it Matter of
Reproach to the fair Ladies, Natives of the Country, for their unnatural
and excessive Affection of adulterating, if not defacing, their
beautiful Faces, with the ruinating Dauberies of _Carmine_?

As the Custom of the Place is (which is likewise allow'd to be a
distinguishing Piece of Civility to Strangers) when we approach the
black Lady (who, I should have told you, bears a Child in her Arms; but
whether maternally Black, or of the _Mulatto_ Kind, I protest I did not
mind) the Priest, in great Civility, offers you her Arm to salute; at
which Juncture, I, like a true blue Protestant, mistaking my Word of
Command, fell foul on the fair Lady's Face. The Displeasure in his
Countenance (for he took more Notice of the Rudeness than the good Lady
her self) soon convinc'd me of my Error; However, as a greater Token of
his Civility, having admitted no _Spaniards_ along with my Companions
and me, is pass'd off the better; and his after Civilities manifested,
that he was willing to reform my Ignorance by his Complaisance.

To demonstrate which, upon my telling him that I had a Set of Beads,
which I must entreat him to consecrate for me, he readily, nay eagerly
comply'd; and having hung them on her Arm for the Space of about half,
or somewhat short of a whole Minute, he return'd me the holy Baubles
with a great deal of Address and most evident Satisfaction. The Reader
will be apt to admire at this curious Piece of Superstition of mine,
till I have told him, that even rigid Protestants have, in this Country,
thought it but prudent to do the like; and likewise having so done, to
carry them about their Persons, or in their Pockets: For Experience has
convinc'd us of the Necessity of this most Catholick Precaution; since
those who have here, travelling or otherwise, come to their Ends,
whether by Accident, Sickness, or the Course of Nature, not having these
sanctifying Seals found upon them, have ever been refus'd Christian
Burial, under a superstitious Imagination, that the Corps of a Heretick
will infect every thing near it.

Two instances of this kind fell within my Knowledge; one before I came
to _Montserat_, the other after. The first was of one _Slunt_, who had
been _Bombardier_ at _Monjouick_; but being kill'd while we lay at
_Campilio_, a Priest, whom I advis'd with upon the Matter, told me, that
if he should be buried where any Corn grew, his Body would not only be
taken up again, but ill treated, in revenge of the Destruction of so
much Corn, which the People would on no account be persuaded to touch;
for which Reason we took care to have him lay'd in a very deep Grave, on
a very barren Spot of Ground. The other was of one Captain _Bush_, who
was a Prisoner with me on the Surrender of _Denia_; who being sent, as I
was afterwards, to Saint _Clemente la Mancha_, there dy'd; and, as I was
inform'd, tho' he was privately, and by Night, bury'd in a Corn-Field,
he was taken out of his Grave by those superstitious People, as soon as
ever they could discover the Place where his Body was deposited. But I
return to the Convent at _Montserat_.

Out of the Chapel, behind the High-Altar, we descended into a spacious
Room, the Repository of the great Offerings made to the Lady. Here,
though I thought in the Chapel it self I had seen the Riches of the
Universe, I found a prodigious Quantity of more costly Presents, the
superstitious Tribute of most of the Roman-Catholick Princes in
_Europe_. Among a Multitude of others, they show'd me a Sword set with
Diamonds, the Offering of _Charles_ the Third, then King of _Spain_, but
now Emperor of _Germany_. Though I must confess, being a Heretick, I
could much easier find a Reason for a fair Lady's presenting such a
Sword to a King of _Spain_, than for a King of _Spain's_ presenting such
a Sword to a fair Lady: And by the Motto upon it, _Pulchra tamen nigra_,
it was plain such was his Opinion. That Prince was so delighted with the
Pleasure's of this sweet Place, that he, as well as I, stay'd as long as
ever he could; though neither of us so long as either could have wish'd.

But there was another Offering from a King of _Portugal_, equally
glorious and costly; but much better adapted; and therefore in its
Propriety easier to be accounted for. That was a Glory for the Head of
her Ladiship, every Ray of which was set with Diamonds, large at the
Bottom, and gradually lessening to the very Extremity of every Ray.
Each Ray might be about half a Yard Long; and I imagin'd in the Whole
there might be about one Hundred of them. In short, if ever her Ladiship
did the Offerer the Honour to put it on, I will though a Heretick,
venture to aver, she did not at that present time look like a humane
Creature.

To enumerate the rest, if my Memory would suffice, would exceed Belief.
As the upper Part was a plain Miracle of Nature, the lower was a
compleat Treasury of miraculous Art.

If you ascend from the lowest Cell to the very Summit, the last of all
the thirteen, you will perceive a continual Contention between Pleasure
and Devotion; and at last, perhaps, find your self at a Loss to decide
which deserves the Preheminence: For you are not here to take Cells in
the vulgar Acceptation, as the little Dormitories of solitary Monks: No!
Neatness, Use, and Contrivance appear in every one of them; and though
in an almost perfect Equality, yet in such Perfection, that you will
find it difficult to discover in any one of them any thing wanting to
the Pleasure of Life.

If you descend to the Convent near the Foot of that venerable Hill; you
may see more, much more of the Riches of the World; but less, far less
Appearance of a celestial Treasure. Perhaps, it might be only the
Sentiment of a Heretick; but that Awe and Devotion, which I found in my
Attendant from Cell to Cell grew languid, and lost in meer empty Bigotry
and foggy Superstition, when I came below. In short, there was not a
great Difference in their Heights, than in the Sentiments they inspir'd
me with.

Before I leave this Emblem of the beatific Vision, I must correct some
thing like a Mistake, as to the poor _Borigo_. I said at the Beginning
that his Labour was daily; but the _Sunday_ is to him a Day of rest, as
it is to the Hermits, his Masters, a Day of Refection. For to save the
poor faithful Brute the hard Drudgery of that Day, the thirteen Hermits,
if Health permit, descend to their _Canobium_, as they call it; that is,
to the Hall of the Convent; where they dine in common with the Monks of
the Order, who are _Benedictines_.

After seven Days Variety of such innocent Delight (the Space allow'd for
the Entertainment of Strangers), I took my Leave of this pacifick
Hermitage, to pursue the more boisterous Duties of my Calling. The Life
of a Soldier is in every Respect the full _Antithesis_ to that of a
Hermit; and I know not, whether it might not be a Sense of that, which
inspir'd me with very great Reluctancy at parting. I confess, while on
the Spot, I over and over bandy'd in my Mind the Reasons which might
prevail upon _Charles_ the Fifth to relinquish his Crown; and the
Arguments on his Side never fail'd of Energy, I could persuade my self
that this, or some like happy Retreat, was the Reward of abdicated
Empire.

Full of these Contemplations (for they lasted there) I arriv'd at
_Barcelona_; where I found a Vessel ready to sail, on which I embarked
for _Denia_, in pursuance of my Orders. Sailing to the Mouth of the
_Mediterranean_, no Place along the _Christian_ Shore affords a Prospect
equally delightful with the Castle of _Denia_. It was never designed for
a Place of great Strength, being built, and first design'd, as a Seat of
Pleasure to the Great Duke of _Lerma_. In that Family it many Years
remain'd; tho', within less than a Century, that with two other
Dukedoms, have devolv'd upon the Family of the Duke _de Medina Celi_,
the richest Subject at this time in all _Spain_.

_DENIA_ was the first Town, that in our Way to _Barcelona_, declar'd for
King _Charles_; and was then by his Order made a Garrison. The Town is
but small, and surrounded with a thin Wall; so thin, that I have known a
Cannon-Ball pierce through it at once.

When I arriv'd at _Denia_, I found a _Spaniard_ Governor of the Town,
whose Name has slipt my Memory; tho' his Behaviour merited everlasting
Annals. Major _Percival_, an _Englishman_, commanded in the Castle, and
on my coming there, I understood, it had been agreed between 'em, that
in case of a Siege, which they apprehended, the Town should be defended
wholly by _Spaniards_, and the Castle by the _English_.

I had scarce been there three Weeks before those Expectations were
answered. The Place was invested by Count _D'Alfelt_, and Major General
_Mahoni_; two Days after which, they open'd Trenches on the East Side of
the Town. I was necessitated upon their so doing, to order the
Demolishment of some Houses on that Side, that I might erect a Battery
to point upon their Trenches, the better to annoy them. I did so; and it
did the intended Service; for with that, and two others, which I rais'd
upon the Castle (from all which we fir'd incessantly, and with great
Success) the Besiegers were sufficiently incommoded.

The Governor of the Town (a _Spaniard_ as I said before, and with a
_Spanish_ Garrison) behav'd very gallantly; insomuch, that what was said
of the Prince of _Hesse_, when he so bravely defended _Gibraltar_
against the joint Forces of _France_ and _Spain_, might be said of him,
that he was Governor, Engineer, Gunner, and Bombardier all in one; For
no Man could exceed him, either in Conduct or Courage; nor were the
_Spaniards_ under him less valiant or vigilant; for in case the Place
was taken, expecting but indifferent Quarter, they fought with Bravery,
and defended the Place to Admiration.

The Enemy had answer'd our Fire with all the Ardour imaginable; and
having made a Breach, that, as we thought was practicable, a Storm was
expected every Hour. Preparing against which to the great Joy of all the
Inhabitants, and the Surprize of the whole Garrison, and without our
being able to assign the least Cause, the Enemy suddenly raised the
Siege, and withdrew from a Place, which those within imagined in great
Danger.

The Siege thus abdicated (if I may use a modern Phrase) I was resolved
to improve my Time, and make the best Provision I could against any
future Attack. To that purpose I made several new Fortifications,
together with proper Casemets for our Powder, all which render'd the
Place much stronger, tho' Time too soon show'd me that Strength it self
must yield to Fortune.

Surveying those works, and my Workmen, I was one Day standing on the
great Battery, when casting my Eye toward the _Barbary_ Coast, I
observ'd an odd sort of greenish Cloud making to the _Spanish_ Shoar.
Not like other Clouds with Rapidity or Swiftness, but with a Motion so
slow, that Sight itself was a long time before it would allow it such.
At last, it came just over my Head, and interposing between the Sun and
me, so thickened the Air, that I had lost the very Sight of Day. At this
moment it had reach'd the Land; and tho' very near me in my Imagination,
it began to dissolve, and lose of its first Tenebrity, when all on a
sudden there fell such a vast multitude of Locusts, as exceeded the
thickest storm of Hail or Snow that I ever saw. All around me was
immediately cover'd with those crauling Creatures; and they yet
continu'd to fall so thick, that with the swing of my Cane I knock'd
down thousands. It is scarce imaginable the Havock I made in a very
little space of time; much less conceivable is the horrid Desolation
which attended the Visitation of those _Animalcula_. There was not in a
Day or two's time, the least Leaf to be seen upon a Tree, nor any green
Thing in a Garden. Nature seem'd buried in her own Ruins; and the
vegetable World to be Supporters only to her Monument. I never saw the
hardest Winter, in those Parts, attended with any equal Desolation.
When, glutton like, they had devoured all that should have sustained
them, and the more valuable Part of God's Creation (whether weary with
gorging, or over thirsty with devouring, I leave to Philosophers) they
made to Ponds, Brooks, and standing Pools, there revenging their own
Rape upon Nature, upon their own vile Carkasses. In every of these you
might see them lie in Heaps like little Hills; drown'd indeed, but
attended with Stenches so noisome, that it gave the distracted
Neighbourhood too great Reason to apprehend yet more fatal Consequences.
A Pestilential Infection is the Dread of every Place, but especially of
all Parts upon the _Mediterranean_. The Priests therefore repair'd to a
little Chapel, built in the open Fields, to be made use of on such like
Occasions, there to deprecate the miserable Cause of this dreadful
Visitation. In a Week's time, or there abouts, the Stench was over, and
every Thing but verdant Nature in its pristin Order.

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