ANNA D'ARFET. 23 



by some friends, landed under the shade of a venerable cedar, 

 where they found a temporary shelter, there trusting to the 

 genial climate and enchanting scenery. Machim hoped to suc- 

 ceed in administering consolation to the conscience-stricken 

 Anna, but within a day or two of their arrival another storm 

 arose, more terrible than the last, which drove their unfortu- 

 nate vessel out to sea. Abandoned to despair, the beautiful 

 Anna D'Arfet could not sustain this blow ; she died in the 

 arms of her lover three days after the disappearance of the 

 vessel, and was buried by Machim under the tree which had 

 afforded them shelter. The spirit of Machim now gave way. 

 He survived his mistress but a short time, and was buried at 

 her side by his companions. With his dying breath he en- 

 treated them to place an inscription upon their graves record- 

 ing the fact, and requesting that, should the spot be ever vis- 

 ited by Christians, they would there erect a church. The 

 survivors having punctually followed the last directions of 

 their friend, embarked again in the boat which had brought 

 them from their vessel, with the intention of returning to Eng- 

 land. Borne to the coast of Morocco, they were captured by 

 the Moors and cast into prison. They narrated their story 

 to some fellow captives, amongst whom was the pilot Mo- 

 rales, who, returning from captivity, related the story to 

 Zargo, and an expedition was soon after sent out by the 

 Portuguese government to take formal possession of the 

 island. 



" The small church now standing near by the cedar tree 

 is said to have been the one erected in compliance with this 

 request. Bowles in his ' Spirit of Discovery,' gives the fol- 

 lowing poetical version of the inscription,* supposed to have 

 been written by Machim on the grave of Anna D'Arfet :— 



