314 TNELIFEO? 



in fa(fl, would rather require H!ogarth's pencil 

 than my pen to convey an adequate idea of 

 them. The enormous long fwords of this gro- 

 tefque cavahy add not a little to the general 

 oddity of their look; fuch is the length of thefe 

 monftrous weapons, that they cannot be drawn 

 at one motion by men of fmall or even mode- 

 rate flature. The ftrait fword is certainly far 

 preftrable to the crooked one on every account. 

 The crooked fword being only fit for cutting, 

 deprives the wearer of his beft mode of aflault, 

 and is, to fay no worfe of it, a very ineffedual 

 •weapon. The flrait blade, in order to give it 

 all the advantage of which it is capable, ought 

 to be fharp at the point as well as the edge, of 

 fui^cient ftrength, and long-, ftiliitmuft be pro- 

 portioned to the feature of the man who is to 

 v/ield it, and not like thole of Portugal, fo long 

 that the Cavalier can neither draw nor return it 

 with eafe. 



As we paficd the bar of Lilbon I perceived 

 that we were under the convoy of his Majefty's 

 illip Dorothea i and I feized the opportunity 

 which offered of addrefling a few lines to her 

 Commander to acquaint him in what manner 

 J had been placed in one of the fhips under 

 his command. In fad, my arreft at Lifbon had 

 become a common fubjeci of convcrfation there; 

 and many very refpeclable charaders had be- 

 come 



