Military Memoirs of Capt. George CarletonDefoe, Daniel
History
Military Memoirs of Capt. George Carleton
Defoe, Daniel
Adventure stories; Great Britain -- History, Military -- Fiction; Soldiers -- Fiction
Another remarkable Accident, of a much more moral Nature, I must,
injustice to the Temperance of that, in this truly inimitable People,
recite. I was one Day walking in one of the most populous Streets of
that City, where I found an uncommon Concourse of People, of all Sorts,
got together; and imagining so great a Croud could not be assembled on a
small Occasion, I prest in among the rest; and after a good deal of
Struggling and Difficulty, reach'd into the Ring and Centre of that
mix'd Multitude. But how did I blush? with what Confusion did I appear?
when I found one of my own Countrymen, a drunken Granadier, the
attractive Loadstone of all that high and low Mob, and the Butt of all
their Merriment? It will be easily imagin'd to be a Thing not a little
surprizing to one of our Country, to find that a drunken Man should be
such a wonderful Sight; However, the witty Sarcasms that were then by
high and low thrown upon that senseless Creature, and as I interpreted
Matters, me in him, were so pungent, that if I did not curse my
Curiosity, I thought it best to withdraw my self as fast as Legs could
carry me away.
_BARCELONA_ being now under King _Charles_, the Towns of _Gironne,
Tarragona, Tortosa_, and _Lerida_, immediately declar'd for him. To
every one of which Engeneers being order'd, it was my Lot to be sent to
_Tortosa_. This Town is situated on the Side of the River _Ebro_, over
which there is a fair and famous Bridge of Boats. The Waters of this
River are always of a dirty red Colour, somewhat fouler than our Moorish
Waters; yet is it the only Water the Inhabitants drink, or covet to
drink; and every House providing for its own Convenience Cisterns to
preserve it in, by a few Hours standing it becomes as clear as the
clearest Rock-water, but as soft as Milk. In short, for Softness,
Brightness, and Pleasantness of Taste, the Natives prefer it to all the
Waters in the World. And I must declare in favour of their Opinion, that
none ever pleas'd me like it.
This Town was of the greater Moment to our Army, as opening a Passage
into the Kingdom of _Valencia_ on one Side, and the Kingdom of _Arragon_
on the other: And being of it self tolerably defensible, in human
Appearance might probably repay a little Care and Charge in its Repair
and Improvement. Upon this Employ was I appointed, and thus was I
busy'd, till the Arrival of the Earl of _Peterborow_ with his little
Army, in order to march to _Valencia_, the Capital of that Province.
Here he left in Garrison Colonel _Hans Hamilton_'s Regiment; the Place,
nevertheless, was under the Command of a _Spanish_ Governor, appointed
by King _Charles_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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