Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-06-26

MONJA ALFEREZ-S ADYEN-
TUREs-A MASCULINE WOMAN AND A
FEARLESS NATURE.
Opinion will always be divided as to
the propriety of women travelling INTO
distant and unknown countries, and fol-
lowing a way so much opposed to that
which nature seems to have traced for
them. Certain il is that, if all women
took the fancy into their heads to be
explorers, the world would have a right
to complain; but there are those who,
like Madame Ida Pfeiffer, have no home
ties, who are bound TO their country by
no duty, and these cannot be blamed for
following the desires of their hearts,
cherished from their very infancy. There
are others, also, who have been carried
away by chance far from their native
SOIL and for these it is no longer ca
price to which they have yielded but a
sacrifice to which they submit. During
the last two centuries, there have been
many illustrious women who have trav-
eled over the world, making it a field of
study A most extraordinary traveller
was the nun Monja Alferez, whose ro-
mantle adventures, published in an old
Spanish volume, would scarcely be be-
lieved were they not confirmed by other
documents. Having been placed in "a
Dominican convent she escaped in the
dress of man, when fifteen years old,
and entered the service of gentleman as
mage, traversed the greater part of Spain,
meeting with adventures as amusing as
those Of those of Gil Bias. But an ir-
resistible desire for more distant travel
led her to embark in 1903 on tlotilla
destined for Peru. Here she enlisted in
the army destined for Chilli, fought brave
ly against the Araucanes gaining the
rank of standard bearer, and afterwards
that Of captain. A sad incident stopped
her course for a time for she had the
misfortune to kill her brother without
knowing him.
After this she shut herself up in con-
vent again. But such a life was little
suited to her taste She again joined
the army, and fought in many distant
parts Of South America, which the Span
iards were DESTROYS of subiugating. Once
she was taken prisoner by the Dutch,
and when released returned to CuZcO,
where a new adventure awaited her.
Being at gaming table, her neighbor,
an arrogant Spaniard, distracted some
of her money when her eyes were turn
ed away. She detected him, drew her
sword and attacked him. He was well
covered by his cuirass, so that her blows
glided over him without injury, whilst
she was wounded in the breast, and fell
bathed in blood. But, reuniting her
falling powers, she rose and rushed af-
ter the culprit, and, as the soldiers said,
actually made him swallow her sword.
He was dead. Appealing to the Bishop
for protection, she told him her secret,
and he RENTED her once more to the
convent Of st. Clair. Longing for new
adventures she obtained permission to re-
turn to Spain, babe adieu to her cOmpan-
ions, and followed the course of the
Rio Magdelena, embarked at Carthage
ma, and landed at Cadiz in 1924. Her
reputation had preceded her, and every
bedy wished to see so remarkable a WO-
man. Going to Madrid, she was pre-
scented to Count OlivareZ, and followed
in the suit of Count de Javier, who was
going to Rome for the jubilee. She
crossed through France. But at Pied
mont was thrown into prison as q spy,
and when her liberty was restored, it
was only on condition that she should
return to Spain. In the deepest desti-
tuition, she retraced her way on foot,
and was obliged to beg.
Whilst endeavoring to see the King,
she was attacked by brigands; but at
length the Marquis de Montes-Claros
presented her at the court of Madrid,
when she obtained a pension, a recogni-
ton of her title Of standard bearer, and
q permission TO wear mems clothes.
Still determined to reach Rome, she en-
barked and landed at Genoa, when she
again got 1nJO uullcultles through a quar-
rel with an Italian soldier but at length
she had the honor of kissing the foot
of Urban VIII. He listened to her sto-
ry with interest, and she was soon sur
rounded by circle of the nobility, who
received her with pleasure. she was
then nearly forty years of age. Little
is known of her after, though some say
she made another voyage to America,
and died when she was about sixty. She
was very tall and manly in appearance,
with strongly marked but plain features,
and her whole air was resolute and sol
dierlike.- CHAMBERS journal.