Previous  - next

them, and made up his mind to return home without attempting to add to them.
Shy of adventuring once more in trade, he refrained from investing them in
any way, but shaped his course for home, carrying them with him in the very
same bark in which he had gotten them. He had already entered the
Archipelago when one evening a contrary wind sprang up from the south-east,
bringing with it a very heavy sea, in which his bark could not well have
lived. He therefore steered her into a bay under the lee of one of the
islets, and there determined to await better weather. As he lay there two
great carracks of Genoa, homeward-bound from Constantinople, found, not
without difficulty, shelter from the tempest in the same bay. The masters of
the carracks espied the bark, and found out to whom she belonged: the fame
of Landolfo and his vast wealth had already reached them, and had excited
their natural cupidity and rapacity. They therefore determined to capture
the bark, which lay without means of escape. Part of their men, well armed
with cross-bows and other weapons, they accordingly sent ashore, so posting
them that no one could leave the bark without being exposed to the bolts;
the rest took to their boats, and rowed up to the side of Landolfo's little
craft, which in a little time, with little trouble and no loss or risk, they
captured with all aboard her. They then cleared the bark of all she
contained, allowing Landolfo, whom they set aboard one of the carracks, only
a pitiful doublet, and sunk her. Next day the wind shifted, and the carracks
set sail on a westerly course, which they kept prosperously enough
throughout the day; but towards evening a tempest arose, and the sea became
very boisterous, so that the two ships were parted one from the other. And
such was the fury of the gale that the ship, aboard which was poor, hapless
Landolfo, was driven with prodigious force upon a shoal off the island of
Cephalonia, and broke up and went to pieces like so much glass dashed
against a wall. Wherefore the unfortunate wretches that were aboard her,
launched amid the floating merchandise and chests and planks with which the
sea was strewn, did as men commonly do in such a case; and, though the night
was of the murkiest and the sea rose and fell in mountainous surges, such as
could swim sought to catch hold of whatever chance brought in their way.
Among whom hapless Landolfo, who only the day before had again and again
prayed for death, rather than he should return home in such poverty, now,
seeing death imminent, was afraid; and, like the rest, laid hold of the
first plank that came to hand, in the hope that, if he could but avoid
immediate drowning, God would in some way aid his escape. Gripping the beam
with his legs as best he might, while wind and wave tossed him hither and
thither, he contrived to keep himself afloat until broad day: when, looking
around him, he discerned nothing but clouds and sea and a chest, which,
borne by the wave, from time to time drew nigh him to his extreme terror,

Previous  - next