Bit by bit we had to cast our burdens till only the jewels remained.

And on the seventh day, when we were in sight of the river, we met a Spanish party, a convoy from their northern mines.

We marched loosely and blindly, and they came on us unawares.

We had all but reached the river's brink, so had the stream for a defence on one side, but before we knew they had taken us on flank and rear." "Many ?" "A matter of three score, fresh and well armed, against nine weary men mortally short of powder.

That marked the end of our madness and we became again sober Christians.