the devoted city. Thevessels were torn from their moorings, and hurled one against the other.On came the mountain-billow, breaking over the lower part of the city,and sweeping off thousands who had fled to the remaining quays forsafety, returning once more to throw back its prey of mangled corpses,amid broken planks and rafters of the ruined houses.
In silent dismay, the festal party stood yet free themselves from harm,though they beheld some of the domestics, who, being on theground-floor, had rushed from the palace down the street in front,crushed beneath the houses, which fell as they attempted to proceed.The Marquis d'Alorna urged his friends to remain, for several haddetermined to attempt to escape from the city, the whole of which theyexpected every instant to behold overwhelmed, when, seeing the fate oftheir servants, they yielded to his persuasions. Scarcely had theyreturned to the window, when, with the same dreadful omens, a thirdshock was felt, though by them but slightly; and, as if struck by amagician's wand, every remaining wall and tower in the vast arena below,which had before escaped, was thrown prostrate, the waves againreturning, and rushing high over the ruins, quickly flowing back totheir proper boundaries; but not a minute intervened before anothermighty billow followed, and another, and another, until every one feltpersuaded the city must be submerged.
The mighty throes of nature appeared at length calmed--the roaring noisehad ceased; but the wailing of the bereaved inhabitants, and the shrieksand groans of the dying, filled the air. Two elements had alreadyconspired to the destruction of that once opulent and crowded city; buteven yet the spirit of destruction was not satisfied, and scarcely hadthe survivors begun to recover from their first unnerving panic, when anew foe appeared, and flames rose from every fallen shrine andmonastery, and from many of the houses yet standing. So paralysed hadbecome the energies of all, that no one attempted to stop the rapidprogress of the devouring element. It at first commenced in differentspots, like so many watch-fires lighted by an army encamped on theplain, but, by degrees, it extended on every side, till the greater partof the city was enveloped in one vast conflagration.
"Whither can we fly for safety?" cried several of the party, gazing ateach other with horror on their countenances. "At all events, let usquit this devoted city," all exclaimed. "But is there a road yet leftfree?" asked some.
"We must not remain here to be burned alive, having escaped the otherdangers," said the young Marquis of Tavora. "My Theresa, I swear tobear you safe, or die with you." The bride hesitated, but her husbandinsisted on supporting her. "Now, senhores, I will set the example, ifyou will follow; and we may find some of our country-houses uninjured."His opinion was considered the best to follow by the majority.
"I will order my horses and carriage from my palace," said the Duke ofAveiro; but, when he looked towards his palace, he beheld it one heap ofruins: the proud residence of the Tavoras had shared the same fate, ashad those of many other persons present.
The palace of the King, which he and all the royal family had, a fewminutes before, so providentially quitted, was overwhelmed in the commondestruction; and the Opera-house, a solid and magnificent building, ashort time before only finished, had shared the same fate, the sidewalls remaining alone standing. But this was no time for vain regrets:self-preservation was the first thought of all. The advice of the youngmarquis was followed, and each of the gentlemen aiding in supporting theladies, they issued forth from the palace, already deserted by thegreater number of the servants, the remainder following them, withoutleaving one to protect the rich and costly furniture, or even thinkingof closing the doors behind them.
The party proceeded onward, keeping as much as possible the higherground, which had escaped the convulsions which shook the valleys,expecting every moment some fresh outbreak. They had not gone far, whenthey encountered a fierce-looking band of the vilest rabble of the city,who eyed the rich dresses and the glittering jewels of the ladies, as iflonging to possess themselves of them, and stopping, attempted tosurround the party, with threatening gestures; but the fidalgos, drawingtheir swords, cleared a passage through them, receiving only loud jeersand curses as they passed onward. In one place they were obliged todescend the hill for some short distance, where the road was blocked upby the fallen houses, which, as the only course left to them, they mustsurmount. The scenes which met the eye, it were scarcely possible forordinary language to describe; men, women, and children, lay, dead ordying, crushed and mangled in every way it were possible to conceive;some of the latter yet crying out, but in vain, for assistance:--theirlot might be that of all the party, if they stayed. The only one of theproud fidalgos who really felt for their sufferings, was the young Jozeda Tavora, and he vowed to return and aid them, if possible, when he hadconducted his sisters and the rest of his family to a place of safety.
After great labour, they escaped clear of the ruins, and reached some ofthe highest ground, from whence they could look back on the haplesscity. Far as the eye could reach on each side, extending along thebanks of the river, was one universal scene of destruction. The greaternumber of the superb and beautiful churches, the richly endowedmonasteries, the public buildings, the palaces, and the dwelling-houses,had, in the course of a few minutes, been either levelled with theground, or their skeleton walls alone left standing, burying beneaththeir ruins, as was afterwards ascertained, twenty thousand of theinhabitants. In every direction, also, bright flames arose, wreathingthemselves round many buildings which had withstood the shocks; thickclouds of smoke, like twisting pillars, ascending to support the darkcanopy which overhung the fatal spot. The river itself presented analmost equally forlorn spectacle; ships were driven wildly in alldirections, some dashing against each other, and their crews unable toseparate them; others had been dashed to pieces on the opposite shore;some had sunk, some had been carried far up the banks, and were now leftdry among the ruined buildings, while the water was covered with wrecksof vessels, beams of timber, and floating bodies. Boats, too, of allshapes and sizes, were floating about, many having been turned keeluppermost by the vast waves. A large concourse of the houselesswretches, whom the catastrophe had driven forth, were now collected onthe brow of the hill, bewailing, with groans and tears, their wretchedfate: their whole property destroyed, many half clothed, and without afarthing left to purchase the necessaries of life, even if they were tobe found; but where was food to be procured for that multitude?Thousands must perish of starvation before it could be distributed.
As the bridal party, after resting from their fatigues on the brow ofthe hill, were about to proceed to the Quinta belonging to one of theirnumber, where they purposed erecting tents in the open ground, severalhorsemen were seen approaching. The crowd made way for them; for amongthe foremost rode the King, and by his side was the towering form of hisMinister, Carvalho. No sooner did the former behold Donna Theresa, thanhis eye lighted up with satisfaction, and, for the moment, forgetful ofhis city destroyed, and the wretchedness of his people, he threw himselffrom his horse, which an attendant held, and advanced towards her.While he congratulated her, and those around, on having escaped fromdestruction, and her husband on his happiness, the Minister, who hadalso dismounted, stood impatiently by. At last the King recollectedhimself, and advanced to the brow of the hill. He started back at theview he beheld: he wrung his hands with despair.
"Alas, alas!" he cried, "my beautiful Lisbon! where art thou? It ishopeless to attempt restoring it. Alas! what shall I do?"
"Bury the dead, and take care of the living," answered the Minister,promptly. "'Tis all that can be done."
"Carvalho, you are truly fit to govern my people," exclaimed the King,embracing him.
"Will your Majesty give me full powers to act as I judge fit, withoutlet or hindrance of any sort, and I will undertake to restore order, tosupply food, and to rebuild the city."
"Do all that you will; I place implicit confidence in your judgment, andpromise to sanction all the measures you pursue."
"It is all I ask," said Carvalho. "I beg your Majest
y will return toBelem, to rest after the fatigues you have undergone, and be assured Iwill not fail in my duty."
The King, taking his Minister's advice, rode back to Belem, whileCarvalho, throwing himself into his carriage, which had driven up,immediately commenced issuing orders for the regulation of theinhabitants who had been driven from their homes, and, sendingmessengers in all directions, to desire the farmers at a distance tobring food to the neighbourhood of the city for their use. Every oneobeyed him with alacrity; for, on a great emergency, the mob are everready to be ruled by any one who can exhibit confidence in himself. Butwe are forestalling events, and must return to follow the adventures onthat dreadful day of several friends in whom we are deeply interested.
Volume 2, Chapter XI.
We left our good friend Captain Pinto, having just parted
The Prime Minister Page 62
