Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1884
by William S. Gottsberger
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington
THIS TRANSLATION WAS MADE EXPRESSLY FOR THE PUBLISHER
Press of
William S. Gottsberger
New York
CONTENTS.
| PAGE | |
| CHAPTER I. | [1] |
| CHAPTER II. | [14] |
| CHAPTER III. | [22] |
| CHAPTER IV. | [29] |
| CHAPTER V. | [50] |
| CHAPTER VI. | [63] |
| CHAPTER VII. | [77] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | [88] |
| CHAPTER IX. | [111] |
| CHAPTER X. | [126] |
| CHAPTER XI. | [137] |
| CHAPTER XII. | [154] |
| CHAPTER XIII. | [174] |
| CHAPTER XIV. | [192] |
| CHAPTER XV. | [207] |
| CHAPTER XVI. | [231] |
| CHAPTER XVII. | [244] |
TRAFALGAR.
CHAPTER I.
I trust that, before relating the important events of which I have been an eye-witness, I may be allowed to say a few words about my early life and to explain the singular accidents and circumstances which resulted in my being present at our great naval catastrophe.
In speaking of my birth I cannot follow the example of most writers who narrate the facts of their own lives, and who begin by naming their ancestry—usually of noble rank, hidalgos at the very least, if not actually descended from some royal or imperial progenitor. I cannot grace my opening page with high-sounding names, for, excepting my mother whom I remember for some few years, I know nothing of any of my forefathers, unless it be Adam from whom my descent would seem to be indisputable. In short, my history began in much the same way as that of Pablos, the brigand of Segovia; happily it pleased God that it should resemble it in no other particular.