Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-11-27

tians, against whom their own rude missiles did
comparatively little execution, they were driven
from one position to another as each redoubt
was successfully carried, shout of triumph
went up from the yctors which fell cheerly on
the ears of their countrymen on the nights I;
and when Padila and his veterans burst on the
scene of action, it decided the fortunes of the
day.
There was still detachment of Turks, whose
ammunition had not been exhausted, and who
were maintaining desperate struggle with a
body OF Spanish infantry, in which the latter
had been driven back to the very verge of the
precipice. But the appearance of their friends
under Padilla gave the Spaniards new heart /;
and Turk and Morisco, overwhelmed alike by
the superiority of numbers and of the weapons
OF their antagonists, gave way in all directions.
Some fled down the long avenues which led
from the summit of the rock. They were hotly
pursued by the Spaniards. Others threw them
selves into the houses, and prepared to make a
last defence. The Spaniards scrambled along
the terraces, letting themselves down from one
level to another by means of the Moorish lad
ders used for that purpose. They hewed OPEN
ings IN the wooden roofs of the buildings,
through which they fired on those within. The
helpless Morscoes, driven out by the pitiless
volleys, sought refuge in the street. But the
cradle game, which they shot down without
mercy,-men, women, and children; none were
spared. Yet they did not fall unavengcd and
the corse OF many Spaniard might be seen
stretched on the bloody pavement, lying side by
side with that of his Moslcm enemy.
More than one instance is recorded Of the
desperate courage to which the women as well
as the men were reused in their extremity. A
Morsco girl, whose father had perished in the
first assault in the Gardens. after firing her
dwelling, is said to have dragged her two little
brothers along with one hand, and welding
scymetar with the other, to have rushed against
the foe, by whom they were all speedily cut to
pieces. Another instance is told, of n man who.
after killing his wife and his two daughters. sal
lied forth, and calling out, There is nothing
more TO lose; let us die together" threw himeo
sell madly into the thick of the cnemv Some
fell by their own weapons, others by those of
Their friends, preferring to receive death from
any hands but those of the Spaniarts.
Some two thousand Moriscoes were huddled
together IN square not lar from the gate, where
strong body of the Castilian infantry cut off
the means of escape. Spent with toll and loss
OF blood, without ammunition, without arms. or
with such only as were too much battered or
broken for service the wretched fugitiyes would
gladly have made some terms with their uursu-
ers, who now closed darky around them. But
the stag at bay might as easily have made terms
with his hunters and the fierce hounds that were
already on his launches. Their PRAYERS were
answered by volley after volley until not man
was left alive.
More than four hundred women and children
were gathered together without the walls and
the soldiers, mindful of the value of such a
booty, were willing to spare their lives. This
was remarked by Don John, and no sooner did
he observe the symptoms Of lcnty in the troops.
than the iiinty-hearted chief rebukcd their re-
mSSnesS, and sternly reminded them of the or
der of the day Ho oven cent the halbcr,lirr,
Of his guard and the cavaliers about his person
10 assist the soldiers in their bloody work Will.
he sat, calm spectator, on his horse, as i'm
movable as marble statue. and as inscnsible
to the agonzing screams of his victims and their
heart breaking prayers for mercy.
While this vas going on without the town.
the work of death was no less active Within
Every square and enclosure that had afforded n
temporary refuge to the fugitves was heaped
with the bodies of the slain. Blood ran down
the kennels like water after a heavy shower
The dwellings We're fired, some by The conouer-
ors, others by the inmates, who through them
selves madly into the flames rather than fall in
to the hands of their enemies. The gathering
shadows of the evening-for the fight had last
ed nearly nine hours-were dispelled by the
light OF the coniagration, which threw an omi-
nous glare for many league over the country,
proclaming far and wide the downfall of Ga
lera.
At length Don John was so far moved from
his original purpose as to consent that the wo-
men, and the children under twelve wears of
age, should be spared. This he did not from
any feeling of compunction, but from Difference
to the murmurs of his followers, whose discon-
tent at seeing their customary booty snatched
from them began to show itself in way not to
be disregarded. Some fifteen hundred women
and children, IN consequence of this, are said to
have escaped the general doom of their coun-
trymen. All the rest, soldiers and citizens
Turks, Africans, and Moriscoes, were merciless.
ly butchered. Not one man, if we may trust
the Spaniards themselves, escaped alive !,
would not be easy, even in that age of blood, to
find parallel to so wholesale and ndiscriminatc
a massacre
Yet to borrow the words of the Castiliar
proverb, "f Africa had cause to weep, Spain
had little reason to rejoice" No success during
the war was purchased at so high a price as the
capture of Galera. The loss fell as heavily OF
the officers and men of rank as on the common
file. We have seen the eagerness with which
they had Hooked to the standard of John o.
Austria. They showed the same eagerness tc
distinguish themselves under the eve of theil
leader. The Spanish chvalry were sure to be
found in the post of danger. Dearly did the,
pay for that pre-eminence; and many noble
house in Spain wept bitter tears when the It'd
ings came with the conquest of Galera.
Don John himself was so much exasperated
says the chronicler, by the thought of the griev
GUS loss which he had sustained through tn,
obstinate resistance of the heretics, that he re-
solved to carry at once into effect his menace o
demollshing the town, SO that no one ston,
should be left on another. Every house wa
accordingly burnt or levelled to the ground
which was then strewed with salt, as an accurs
ed spot, on which no man was to build thereaf
ter. A royal decree to that effect was soon af
terwards pubished and the village of stragglin,
houses, which, undefended by wall, still clus
ters round the base of the hill, in the Garden
occupied by Padilla, is all that now serves t,
| remind the traveller of the once hourishng AM
strongly fortified city of Galera.
BEECHER ON THE SUN.-The sun does no
shine for few trees and flowers, but for tn
wide worlds joy. The lonely pine on the noun
tain top waves its sombre boughs, and cries
"Thou art my sun !" and the little meadow vic
let lifts its cup of blue and whispers with its per