630 
and also the pay of an artilleryman, the 
admiral considered her as a military cha- 
racter, and, much to his credit, received 
her with the honours of that profession. 
Upon her reaching the deck, the marines 
were drawn up and manceuvred before 
her: she appeared quite at home, re- 
garded them with a steady eye, and spoke 
in terms of admiration of their neatness, 
and soldier-like appearance. Upon ex- 
amining the guns, she observed of one of 
them, with the satisfaction with which 
other women would speak of a cap: 
“my gun,” alluding to the one with 
which she effected considerable havock 
amongst the French at Zarayoza, ‘ was 
not so nice and clean as this.” She was 
drinking her coffee when the evening gun 
fired: its discharge seemed to electrify 
, her with delight: she sprang out of the 
cabin: upon the deck, and attentively 
listened to the reverberation of its sound. 
“In the evening, she joined in the dance 
with the rest of the company, and dis- 
played a good ear for music, and consi- 
aerable natural gracefulness. The sai- 
lors, as it may be supposed, were uncom- 
manly pleased with her, Some were 
overheard to say with an hearty oath, 
“‘T hope they will do something bor her, 
she ought to have plenty of prize-moncy: 
she is of the right sort.” Sas: 
So much envy does merit always ex- 
eite, that there were many in Cadiz, and 
men too, who coldly called this young 
heroine, the artillerywoman; and ob- 
served, that they should soon have no- 
thing but battalions of women in the 
field, instéad of attending to their do- 
mestic concerns, if every romantic female 
was rewarded and commissioned as Au- 
ustina had been. Base detractors! 
Bupa? would it have been for-your goun- 
try, if many of your soldiers.and most of 
your chiets, had acted with the undaunted 
intrepidity and unshaken patriotism of 
this young female! ‘The interest of my 
interview with her was much increased 
- by the following circumstance: Brigadier- 
general Doyle was relating to heft the 
deplorable state to which Palafox had 
heen reduced just before and after he 
fell into the hands of the enemy, in the 
‘second siege: she listened to,him with 
the most anxious attention. ‘ Ah! Aa- 
gustina,” said he, ‘now attend to the 
dastiletters of your friend, h.ro, and ge- 
neral; he ‘will speak to you through 
them.” He then read to her some very 
affecting ietters written to Brigadier- 
general Doyle, a short time before, and 
Sir John Carr’s Travels in Spain. hy 
after, the surrender, which he afterwards 
translated to me, and of which the fol- 
lowing are translated copies: 
‘* Zaragoza, February 7, 1809. 
‘¢ My dearest friend and brother, 
*«T have just received your letter, but 
no one comes to my assistance on any 
side: you, however, know me well; you 
know I will sooner die than cover myself 
with disgrace. But if you do net help 
me, what amI todo? Ah! my friend, 
this thought does indeed afflict me: but 
I want not courage to die for the preser- 
vation of my honour: if you do not come 
quickly, very quickly, receive the last 
embraces of your dearest friend and bro~ 
ther! Sufficient that I say to you, my 
tried friend. (These three words are in 
English.) The bearer* of this will tell 
you—Ah! my friend! my brother!” 
It may be proper here to observe, that 
the line of service in. which Brigadier- 
general Doyle was principally engaged, 
was that of collecting information of the 
movements of the enemy, and furnishing 
Succours to the patriotic troops of Spain, 
a species of service forwhich the general, 
by his activity, zeal, address, and local 
knowledge, was eminently qualified. 
lle made every exertion to send succours 
to the brave Arragonese in their re= 
nowned city, but without success. A 
dreadful pestilential fever broke out 
amongst them. Owing to excess of 
fatigue, and the desperate condition of 
himself and his heroic comrades, Palafox 
became delirious, and when the French 
entered Zaragoza, was unable to make 
any arrangements for his personal safety. 
Augustina caught the pestilence, which 
was incumbering the streets with its vic- 
tims. She had too much distinguished 
herself not to attract the notice of the 
French. She was made prisoner, and 
removed to an hospital, where, as she 
was considered to be dying of the fever, 
her guard paid but litle attention to her. 
However, her good constitution began tox 
triumph over this cruel malady, and 
finding she was but little watched, she 
contrived to elude the centinel, and in a 
manner as extraordinary as the rest of 
her exploits, escaped the enemy, and 
joined several of her friends, who had 
fled to the patriots, in perfect safety. 
* This man was a priest, who with great 
address, and at the imminent peril of his life, 
contrived to qnit Zaragoza, and reack Bri- 
gadier-general Doyle. with this letter. ‘ 
SE er? a ket ae 
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