ESCAPE FROM THE CASTLE OF BELVER. 39 



1 



standing the inquisitorial surveillance which Don Man- 

 uel de Vacaro exercised over the commander of his 

 " Mistic." 



On the 28th July, 1808, we silently descended the hill 

 on which Belver is built, at the same moment that the 

 family of the minister Soller entered the fortress to es- 

 cape the fury of the populace. Arrived at the shore, 

 we found there Damian, his boat, and three sailors. We 

 embarked at once, and set sail. Damian had taken the 

 precaution of bringing with us in this frail vessel the in- 

 struments of value which he had carried off from my 

 station at the Clop de Galazo. The sea was unfavour- 

 able ; Damian thought it prudent to stop at the little 

 island of Cabrera, destined to become a short time after- 

 wards so sadly celebrated by the sufferings which the 

 soldiers of the army of Dupont experienced after the 

 shameful capitulation of Baylen. There a singular in- 

 cident was very near compromising all. Cabrera, toler- 

 ably near to the southern extremity of Majorca, is often 

 visited by fishermen coming from that part of the island. 

 M. Berthemie feared, justly enough, that the rumour of 

 our escape having spread about, they might dispatch 

 some boats to seize us. He looked upon our going into 

 harbour as inopportune ; I maintained that we must 

 yield to the prudence of the commander. During this 

 discussion, the three seamen whom Damian had engaged 

 saw that M. Berthemie, whom I had endeavoured to pass 

 off as my servant, maintained his opinion against me on 

 a footing of equality. They then addressed themselves 

 in these terms to the commander : 



/" We only consented to take part in this expedition 

 upon condition that the Emperor's aide-de-camp, shut up 

 at) Belver, should not be of the number of those persons 



