The Carriage Incident of Don Félix Nieto de Silva in the Lagoon of Aguere
One of the most vivid episodes described by the Marqués de Lozoya in the biography of Don Félix Nieto de Silva is the accident involving his carriage in the lagoon of Aguere, during his time as Captain General of the Canary Islands[1]. This event, narrated in Don Félix’s own memoirs, provides a detailed glimpse into daily life and circumstances in the 17th-century archipelago.
According to Don Félix, he owned a carriage brought from London, drawn by six black horses. One afternoon, accompanied by three gentlemen—Don Estéban de Llerena Calderón, Don Francisco de Briones, and Captain Juan Manuel Delgado—he set out for a ride in La Laguna, which, after heavy rains, was covered in water, hiding the ground beneath a flooded meadow[1].
During the journey, the carriage slightly deviated from the usual path, and one of the front wheels sank into a well hidden beneath the water. The coachman attempted to pull the carriage out, managing to free the horse, but then the rear wheel fell into the same well, causing a strong jolt that nearly overturned the carriage[1].
In the midst of danger, Don Félix invoked the Virgin of Peña de Francia, to whom he was especially devoted. The coachman, seeing the critical situation, urged the horses forward, which caused the main pin of the carriage to come loose, and the front team bolted, dragging the coachman. The carriage, now without the horses, partially overturned on its right wheel[1].
Don Félix managed to escape through the window, breaking the glass with his heels, while the other three companions exited through the same opening. All ended up on the carriage beam, surrounded by water, until local farmers arrived and explained that the accident was caused by an overflowing well[1].
The Marqués de Lozoya notes that, according to Don Félix, it was a miracle that none of the occupants got wet or were harmed, and that the carriage did not sink completely, remaining afloat like a buoy. Furthermore, the broken glass did not allow water to enter the interior[1].
This episode, recorded in Don Félix’s memoirs and cited by the Marqués de Lozoya, illustrates both the landscape of La Laguna at the time and the mindset and beliefs of its protagonists, who attributed their salvation to the intervention of the Virgin of Peña de Francia[1].