O'EiEiLLY — Remarks on Captain Cuellarh Narrative. 213 



such that I was quite unable to stand on it. I was therefore advised 

 to keep out of the way, as there were many English there ready to 

 cruelly use me, should they lay hands on me, as they had done to 

 other Spaniards, and more particularly so, did they come to know who 

 I was. I knew not what to do since the soldiers who had accom- 

 panied me had left for another port farther on in search of a sailing 

 vessel. In this my state of abandonment and sickness, some women 

 took pity on me, and conveyed me to some cottages that they had iu 

 the mountain, and kept me there more than a month and a-half, care- 

 fully looked after and so well tended that my wound closed, and I 

 found myself strong enough to go to Ocan's house and speak to him. 

 He however refused either to hear me or even to see me, having, as 

 was said, given his word to the great Governor of the Queen, that he 

 would not harbour in his country any Spaniard nor even allow one to 

 pass through it. It happened that at this very time the English 

 who were lodged in the town had set out with the design of invading 

 a certain neighbouring district, and taking possession of it, and along 

 with them had gone Ocan and all his troopers, so that one could go 

 about freely in the town, which was built of straw huts, and therein 

 were very many handsome girls, with whom I was on terms of very 

 elose friendship, so that I entered their houses, now and then for con- 

 versation sake and company. Thus it was that one evening being 

 with them, there entered two English youths, one of whom was a 

 sergeant, who had knowledge of me by name, but had never seen me, 

 and having seated themselves, they inquired if I were a Spaniard, 

 and what I was doing there, I told them I was one of the soldiers of 

 D. Alfonso de Luqon,^ who had surrendered a few days previously to 

 them, and being wounded in the leg I had not been able to leave the 

 country, that I was there at their service and ready to do whatever 

 they might order me. They replied, telling me to wait awhile for 

 them, that I would have to go with them to Dublin, where were 

 many Spaniards of consequence in prison. I said I would not be able 

 to travel, nor keep up with them, and they then sent in quest of 

 a horse to carry me. I assured them meanwhile that I was quite con- 

 tent to do their pleasure and to go with them, thereupon they became 

 reassured, and commenced to play with the girls. 



The mother made signs to me that I should go out by the door 

 which I did in all haste, and dashed off leaping ditches, and finally 

 getting into some thick underwood, through which I proceeded until 



1 See note 14, p. 188. 



