When he saw the crown and anchor, and his Majesty's cipher on the
appointments of the dead officer, he became convinced of our quality, and
changed his tone--"Es verdad, son de la marina Englesa. But, gentlemen,
were there not three persons in the hut?"
There were indeed--the flames had consumed the dry roof and walls with
incredible rapidity, which by this time had fallen in, but Oreeque was
nowhere to be seen. I thought I saw something move in the midst of the
fire, but it might have been fancy. Again, the white ashes heaved, and a
half--consumed hand and arm were thrust through the smouldering mass, then
a human head, with the scalp burnt from the skull, and the flesh from the
chaps and cheekbones; the trunk next appeared, the bleeding ribs laid
bare, and the miserable Indian, with his limbs like scorched rafters,
stood upright before us, like a demon in the midst of the fire. He made
no attempt to escape, but reeling to and fro like a drunken man, fell
headlong, raising clouds of smoke and a shower of sparks in his fall.
Alas! poor Oreeque, the newly risen sun was now shining on your ashes, and
on the dead bodies of the ill--starred Bondia and her child, whose bones,
ere his setting, the birds of the air, and beasts of the forest, will
leave as white and fieshless as your own. The officer, who belonged to
the army investing Carthagena, now treated us with great civility; he
heard our story, and desired his men to assist us in burying the remains
of our late commander.
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