ner in which his hair was brought forward over his forehead, so low as almost to cover his eyes. His dress was a jacket and trousers of the rough brown cloth which the Alavese peasants manufacture themselves from the coarse wool of their sheep; and a broad-brimmed grey hat, placed quite on the back of the head, increased the niaiserie of his whole appearance.

"Caremba!" cried a joyous-looking corporal, who, to judge from the ready laugh with which his comrades welcomed his most trifling sallies, was a wit of no small consideration.

"Que hay aqui?” “whom have we here, and whence come? Assuredly he must be alcalde of some Biscayan city. Behold his sapient look, and dignified manner of wearing his sombrero!"

The sneer was followed by many similar ones from the soldiers, who, for the most part Castilians, entertained a proper degree of contempt for every thing Basque.

"Vamos! Camarado," said one, seeing that the stranger took no notice of the jests for which he supplied the materials; "you have taken a place at our fire, without so much as a by your leave.' The least you can do in return is to give us some account of yourself."

No reply was made by the peasant, and his interlocutor, irritated at his obstinate silence, prepared to arouse him from his apathy by a process likely to be more effectual than agreeable. Unsheathing his bayonet, he introduced its point into the seam of the peasant's jacket. But scarcely had the keen weapon found its way through the cloth, when the Biscayan turned sharply round, and in an instant the aggressor was disarmed and prostrate at the feet of his antagonist. The soldiers pressed forward to help their comrade; but the stranger threw down the bayonet, and burst into a volley of those strange inarticulate sounds which the deaf and dumb emit in their vain attempts to express anger or other violent passions.

"Es mudo;" "he is dumb!" exclaimed the soldiers, keeping back their comrade, who had risen to his feet, and having picked up the bayonet, seemed disposed to avenge his overthrow.

They now began to hold conversation with the dumb peasant by means

of signs and gestures, which he, however, showed little quickness in comprehending, and it soon became evident that the poor wretch was nearly an idiot.

The rattle of drums, and the shrill yet mellow sound of bugles, now became audible; soldiers came hurrying into barracks, and each man on guard arranged himself in the best position he could, in order to snatch a little repose before his turn for sentry arrived. The mudo remained a short time cowering over the embers of the fire, but finally lounged awkwardly away, probably to seek some softer bed than was afforded him by the granite flags of the convent portico.

The following morning, however, he returned, and for many days after continued to pay long and frequent visits to the barracks. The soldiers amused themselves with his uncouth gestures, and by endeavouring to talk to him by signs; and at length became so accustomed to his presence, that he began to share their affections with the regimental dog, Granuja, a most intelligent animal, always ready with a leap for the Queen, and a growl for Don Carlos, and who had moreover suffered in the cause, having received a graze from a musket ball in a recent skirmish.

But the mudo did not confine his visits to the convent, although he appeared to make it his headquarters. During the day he would roam from one barrack to another, affording amusement to the soldiery, ever disposed to be diverted by the smallest incident which varies the monotony of their life; and at length El Mudo di Santa Domingo became as wellknown to the garrison, as the governor of the town himself.

The month of December had set in cold and wintry, and, with the exception of an occasional reconnoissance or foraging party, active military operations were likely to be for some time suspended. One night, however, an order was given for the troops quartered in the St Domingo convent to hold themselves in readi ness to march early the following morning; and it was rumoured that some convoy or post of the enemy was to be surprised. Soon afterwards several officers came down to the barracks, and, having ascertained that all was in readiness for the march, stopped

for a moment to light their cigars at the guard fire.

"We shall have a better blaze than this to warm ourselves by ere twelve hours are past," said a young lieutenant, stamping his feet as he spoke, to get more warmth than he could obtain from the smoky green wood.

"By the bye," cried another, how far is it to this powder mill? I do not remember seeing it in any of our sorties or foraging parties."

"It is off the high road, but not more than five or six leagues distant from Vittoria. The roads are good, thanks to the frost; and if we start early, we may get there, blow up the place, and be back to our puchero by an hour after noon.".

"Hush!" said an old captain with a thick grizzled mustache, "you know not who may be within hearing; and though the gates are shut, they say there are Carlists in Vittoria who communicate with the enemy by lights and other signals."

"Pshaw!" cried the young officer who had first spoken; "you are over cautious, mi capitan. There is no one near but the men on guard and that wretched dumb idiot."

"Walls have sometimes ears," replied the captain. "At any rate, all our secret expeditions for the last month or two have been failures. Either our spies do not earn their money, or there is treachery within the walls. But it is growing late, so buenas noches, Senores!"

"Buenas noches! buenas noches !" and the officers walked away in the direction of their respective billets.

Scarcely had the sound of their footsteps become inaudible, when a head was slowly raised from among the mass of confused forms that were lying huddled about the fire, and the black eyes of the mudo peered keenly around from under the bush of tangled hair that overshadowed them. The sentry had his back turned, and was leaning on his musket, doubtless. waiting with impatience to be relieved from his wearisome duty, rendered doubly disagreeable by the coldness of the night. With noiseless step the mudo crept along in the shadow of the convent wall, and in the direction of the ramparts, which at that time were in a most dilapidated condition. The darkness enabled him to pass within a short distance of more

than one sentinel, and to arrive unobserved at a place where the slight earthen wall, broken and crumbling, offered an easy egress from the town. The mudo dropt lightly into the shallow moat, and scrambling up the opposite side, disappeared in the obscurity.

A few hours after this escapade, a body of troops marched out of the Bilboa gate. It was a clear starlight morning, but bitterly cold, and the soldiers, mostly from the south, and as yet unaccustomed to the severity of a Basque winter, seemed but mo derately rejoiced at the biting frost which congealed their breathinto icicles on their mustaches, and caused the road to ring like iron under their measured tramp. Such a temperature was no temptation to laggards, and at so brisk a pace did the men advance that when day broke there was little more than a league between them and the object of their expedition. The high road had been already abandoned, and they were traversing a flat country having little appearance of recent cultivation, partially overgrown with gorse and broom, and intersected with ravines and broad ditches, from whose banks innumerable snipes and water hens would whirr away on the approach of the column.

At length the ground began to rise, and after a tolerably long but very gentle ascent, the troop of cavalry composing the advanced guard halted on the top of a long ridge, extending on either hand for a mile or more. On the opposite side of this ridge the ground gradually descended, and from thence to the foot of a range of mountains which rose two or three leagues off, the country appeared far less wild, and better cultivated, than that which the column had as yet crossed.

About half a league off, and in front of a thick wood, composed in great part of evergreen trees, stood a tolerably well constructed building, having in its neighbourhood a few scattered cottages, and flanked by several earthen parapets, equidistant from one another, and echelloned in an oblique direction; so that whilst the two bindermost nearly touched the outer corners of the building, the most advanced were at some distance to the right and left of the same points. Here it was that powder, ball, and

cartridges were fabricated in large quantities for the use of the Carlists. The lead was brought from mines in the neighbourhood; and the cart ridges, as soon as made, were sent off to some of the Pretender's strongholds. The military authorities of Vittoria had long been anxious to destroy this establishment; and, having ascertained by their spies that no Carlist force of importance was within three hours' march of the place, they sent out the small column whose progress we have followed, the officer commanding which had orders to de. stroy, burn, and blow up every thing, and return immediately to his garrison.

There appeared as yet to be nothing stirring either in the powder-mill or adjacent cottages. The doors and windows were closed, and every thing as still as though the place had been uninhabited. Such was the observation made by the Christino colonel, as he headed the squadron which composed his whole force of cavalry; and, ordering the infantry to follow as fast as possible, moved forward at a canter. Arrived in front of the powdermill, he sent half his cavalry to patrol in rear of the hamlet, to prevent any one from escaping and giving information to the enemy, and then waited the coming up of the infantry, which arrived the next instant, somewhat out of breath, and their ranks a little in confusion, from the severe pace at which they had rattled over the frost.. bound fields. Scarcely had the word halt! been given, when a single musket-shot was heard, and forthwith arose such a wild and deafening shout, as appeared to rend asunder the very heavens. The wondering Christinos gazed around them in astonishment; but the cause of the din was soon apparent; for, as though the earth had again been sown with serpents' teeth, and produced armed men, in rear of each of the half-dozen parapets before mentioned, stood two or three companies of Carlist troops, forming together a force far superior to that opposed to them. They had been concealed by lying down in the ditches, which, as usual, were dug behind each parapet, to afford greater security to its defenders; and favoured by the morning fog which hung over the ground, and yet more by the incautious approach of the Christinos, their

proximity had been unsuspected, until, at the signal of the musket-shot, they sprang up and formed. Simultaneously with their movement a smart fire was opened on the Queen's troops from the windows of the neighbouring buildings, and a body of admirably mounted Navarrese lancers, headed by Real, one of the best cavalry officers in the service of Don Carlos, emerged from an opening in the wood, where they had lain perdus, charged the troop of hussars stationed in rear of the houses, and drove them in on their main body, fighting, it is true, and, in spite of the surprise, yielding their ground slowly, and making good use of their sabres and carbines.

The Christino colonel, to whose over-confidence and negligence in not having sufficiently reconnoitred the ground, it was owing that he and his troops were now in so perilous a position, showed, however, infinite coolness and presence of mind in the midst of the danger. He lost not a moment, but, forming his infantry into a compact column, began to retrace his steps, steadily and rapidly, hoping at least to get clear of the parapets, and into the open country, before the Carlists could collect their scattered companies into a sufficient force to endeavour to bar his retreat. Then, leaving the infantry in charge of the officer next in command, he placed himself at the head of his handful of cavalry, and charged the enemy's lancers with such vigour and good-will, that in spite of their superior numbers, he drove them back some distance with considerable loss. But, while returning under a heavy fire to the main body, a ball struck him on the breast. The gallant but unfortunate officer reeled in his saddle, made an ineffectual attempt to retain his balance, and fell heavily to the ground. His death was the signal for a general rout. Christino troops had now reached the front of the parapets, but not without suffering greatly from the fire of the enemy; and seeing that the latter had formed two strong columns, and were rapidly advancing to cut them off, they lost all heart, and the retreat became a scamper. Over the ploughed fields, and through heather, and briars, and brambles, across ditches and swamps, breaking through the ice, and splashing in mud and water, went pursued and pursuers. Little quarter was

The

asked, and less given; for, at the period referred to, the animosity between the two parties was at its height. Many a poor wretch, sinking under fatigue, and hearing the footsteps of his blood-thirsty foes drawing nearer and nearer, till he could fancy he felt their breath upon his shoulder, shortened his borrible suspense, aud solved the question uppermost in the mind of a man flying for his life," Shall I or shall I not escape?" by throwing himself on the ground, and waiting patiently the bayonet-thrust that was to terminate his sufferings.

At length the ardour of pursuit diminished, and few others than the cavalry persevered in the chase. Even these dropped off one by one as their horses became blown, and soon barely

a

score of troopers, either better mounted or more eager for blood than their comrades, hung upon the skirts of the fugitives, flying now more from panic than real danger. A young Carlist officer, who bestrode a splendid Andalusian charger, was far ahead of his men, and made himself remarked by his ferocity. He had broken two lances, and now made use of his sabre with deadly effect, turning a deaf ear to supplications for mercy, and accompanying every blow with a heavy curse. He was within a score of yards of five or six Christino soldiers, when they suddenly turned, and levelling their muskets, made a simultaneous discharge on their pursuer. Owing to a sudden bound of the horse the bullets took effect upon him instead of his rider, and the noble animal fell. Before the Carlist could regain his feet he was in the power of the soldiers. In the ineffectual struggle he made to escape from their grasp, the boina fell from his head, and a quantity of long hair, lank with sweat, hung over his forehead. The soldiers stared at him, and then at each other, and then again at the prisoner, with a puzzled look.

"Lo es !"* at length exclaimed one; and as though a charm had been broken, "El Mudo!" they shouted simul taneously.

The Carlist officer smiled bitterly. Outside that handsome square at Vittoria, composed of houses of uni

Al

form structure, and surrounded by a colonnade of stone pillars, which is known by the name of the Plaza Nueva, and of late years Plaza de la Constitucion, is an open space entitled the Plaza Vieja, or old square. though totally unable to compete with its more elegant neighbour as an evening lounge for the fashionable of the town, because its appearance is uncouth, and its pavement uneven, and usually dirty, it is yet not entirely without interest, especially to a stranger. The fountain at the lower end of the Place, within a few yards of the Principal, or chief guard-house, is each morning the rendezvous of innumerable criadas or servant girls, and other damsels of low degree, who, having filled their wooden or earthen vessels, allow them to remain for a few minutes on the stone ledge round the spring, while they indulge in a little gossip. Here may be studied the manners and dress of the lower classes of the province. The peasants from the neighbouring mountains, who bring in mule-loads of wood and charcoal for sale, station themselves near the fountain, and address their rude attempts at gallantry to the buxom water carriers, whose brilliant yellow or crimson petticoats, neatly turned ancles, tight boddice, and abundant black hair, rendered glossy by some preparation, which is certainly not the real Macassar, constitute in the eyes of the charcoal burners the ne-plus-ultra of attraction. The lounging soldier, the pass< ing muleteer, the artisan hurrying to his work, all have a smart word for the mozas,† who, after receiving a due meed of compliments and admiration, trip lightly away with their burden of aqua fresca on their heads, and make room for new comers.

Less cheerful associations than these are, however, connected with the Plaza Vieja. It is here that are usually executed the criminals sentenced to the garrote-a punishment about equivalent to the English one of hanging.

Early on the second morning after that which had witnessed the disastrous expedition to the powder mill, workmen were busy erecting scaffolding for an

*It is he.

Young girls.

execution, and it soon became known that the criminal about to suffer was the Carlist spy who had caused the recent discomfiture of the Queen's troops. Towards noon the whole of the garrison not on duty was formed up round the plaza, and large crowds had assembled to witness the execution. On the scaffold (a small square platform) was firmly fixed a strong wooden pillar, against which a bench had been nailed. Two or three feet above the bench was an iron bar, bent into nearly a circle, and which, by means of a powerful screw, could be brought with great force against the front of the oaken post, so as to crush any thing that might intervene. Two men, preserving somewhat of the ancient Spanish costume, in their suits of rusty black, short cloaks, and broad leafed slouched hats, were standing by the instrument of death, waiting till the moment should arrive to exercise their loathsome functions.

At length the criminal made his appearance, strongly guarded, and attended by a grey-haired priest. His head was bent upon his breast, and he appeared to be lending an attentive ear to the exhortations of the reverend father; but his step was firm, nor did it lose any of its steadiness as he ascended the half-dozen steps leading to the scaffold. After embracing his penitent, the priest stepped on one side, averting his eyes from the sad spectacle that was to follow, and the prisoner, dropping the cloak which had hitherto protected him from the inclement weather, and also partly shrouded his face, appeared in the short green jacket and red overalls of the Carlist cavalry. Then, drawing himself up to his full height, he snatched his boina from his head, and

When, by this action of the prisoner, his face became visible to the surrounding crowd, a suppressed hum ran through the lines of the soldiery, and the words "El Mudo" passed from mouth to mouth. Before this murmuring noise, instantly repressed by the officers, had entirely subsided, the prisoner had tranquilly seated himself on the fatal bench, the iron collar was adjusted round his bare neck, and one of the executioners gave a few rapid and vigorous turns to the screw. A slight crushing noise reached the ears of the nearest bystanders, as the vertebræ of the neck were broken against the wooden pillar. El Mudo di Santa Domingo had paid the penality of his offences.

After the corpse, according to custom, had remained a short time exposed to the gaze of the multitude, it was removed from the scaffold, and buried outside the town. The following morning, however, the grave in which it had been laid was open, and the body had disappeared.

In the cemetery of a church, a few leagues north of Vittoria, is a plain slab of grey stone, which for a great part of the year is nearly undiscoverable, so concealed does it lie under the tangled profusion of red and white roses which the village maidens have planted around. When, however, the fragrant but thorny barrier is put aside, an inscription is visible. It is short, and runs thus—

Valentin-17 Diciembre,
Doleres-23 Diciembre.
Poco le sobrevivia.