The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-15
PAYING THE BLOOD TAX.
QUEER CUSTOM SURpITTNG IN THE
MAYA RRESE PIRENEES.
spanInrda and Frcnehmcn Abide by nm
Agreement Made Six Hundred Years
AGo-The Latter Fay Yearly Tribute OF
Buiiocks to Buy Peace on the Frontier.

Spanlnrda and Frcnchmcn Abide by an
Agreement Made Six Hundred Years
AGo-The Latter Pay Yearly Tribute OF
Builocks to Buy Peace on the Frontier.
IRON tho Iai Mali Gazette.
There is q vague tradition that some time in
the thirteenth century, In the high pasture
lands OF Arlas, in the Pyrences, some shepherds
Of tho valley OF Roncal, in Navarro, were muir
dered by shepherds of the valley of ~liaretun, in
Btarn. One is shown on an upland lawn on
French soil stones that nre said to cover the
graves of the victims, and the story lives on in
a chHnson still sung in the canton OF the Baret-
onnjs. In consequence OF this massacre. the
Baretonnis were condemned in pcrpctuity to the
payment of a tax to the Roncalais, and this they
accepted apparently as an alternative, or pos
sibly as an end. to n vendetta. The tax has been
paid during the last six or seven hundred years.
Tho extraordinary thing is that it survived the
revolution.
The scene of the transaction for, us will APP
pear, it is more than u mere CercmOny-is the
Pierre do st. Martin, n frontier stone remote
from roads and villages under the Pic d'Arlas.
In the afternoon we were ascending the noun
taius by way of the immense forest of Isseaux,
of which the timber went in formerdays to tho
building OF the French navy. There was adense
mist, and it was not without difficulty that, on
emerging from the forest, we made ut Z o'clock
the caoane, where we were to pass the night. 1t
was Il strange interior" More than twelve OF
of us slept in the little hut, round u wood IRE.
unnssisted by u chimney. after II supper Of
boiled goats milk, into which we had broken
our coarse bread. In tho ascending reek the
nineteenth century was felt to wGver, to
recete. TO d lsanpear! Excepting our four or five
errand, Aspois aud Baretonnis bound for the
Pierre de ST. Martin. one incident only dis
hounds deep bay gave warning OF n bear in the
Ecigh5orhood. and ono of the shepherds wentout
and bred a gun TO alarm the intruder. In I'D
| M In thtA hin Ann W. lind fsnInA II tnIl tTp-
queut tracks Of wild boar, the turf torn up by
his tusks. but otherwise there were few signs OF
found tho mist cleared by a south wind. a
glortonS morning "natterinE the mountain
clouds, which lay below us in every G-
r~ection-lakes and seas Of cloud out OF
which the submits appeared as islands or reefs.
The remainder or our journey lay frst In the
forest through n singular dchle. the BarriCade
ae Qulliohte; s.hn:atln2 the Brarnalse ana
BASQUE countries, Il rugged ascending way,
strewn with stones. between rock walls, Dan
tesque in its, features, where one expected TO
see. aud dld see, snakes; then over n bare
mountainous region, where the rocks were In
form Ike huge tables whence, indeed, the name
Or u neighDoIing height. tue Pic Table des TroiS
Rols-ttll finally the verge was reached and we
looked over the gray sterile mountains OF Ma
varrc, their slopes scarcely clothed with dwarf
pines. in striking contrast TO the thick beech for
ests on the French side. We passed here a cross TO
the memory OF i've spanish contraLandists who
persisted III an April avalanche not long ago:
the names OF four are given, the nth unknown,
"De Profundi-." The rendezvous was reached
at y o'clock, and by 0 a company OF about $50
had assembled. including the Sous-PrGtet Of the
BaoseS- Pyrenees, who attended, however, mere
ly as u spectator. the cure of one OF the Bare
tomas villages and his vicaire, and some gIries
DIES m0htdJHts, and douantcrS. The Spantards
were the last 10 appear. heralding their approach
by musket shots, and on their arrival the BUSH
ness OF the DAY began.
The two peoples drew up in line on either side
of the frontier stone in their respective terri
tories. Immediately opposite the stone was the
Aicade OF lsaoa, wearing a BLACK, coat edged
with crimson. with u hood and long. false sleeves,
and round his neck a large white plcated collar,
the, whole costume dating from 1900. He car.
RED "A black baton tipped With st~iver-the wand
Of his Office As chief Justice of the court. He
was attended by "a notary and supported by the
Alcades OF Crza maui Garde. aud Cstarroz--the
other villages Of the Roncal concerned -habited
in long. fuli-sklried, black, eighteenth century
usual broad violet wristbands, knee breeches,
4 number Of DER followers were armed.
and stood to attention with their guns loaded.
a herald by the side of the President carried a
javelin, to which was attached u crimson
sign Of just revenge. On the other
scented II less imposing appearance. They wore
their blue blOuses aud Bearna!Ze caps. and here
coats said 10 be peculiar to the Baretonais. The
mares OF Arctic. Lanne. .AraInits, and lssor
s %STf to w Hs abf', ,Rsy mdrs r @miy G 5Se iHS mpl t .FsG 3yer
their b!ou>os. III was noticeable. by the way, that
the national colors were not displayed on the
javeltn bearing n white streamer-sign Of the
pacific intentions Of those for whom he acted,
NJ u " AlDHi WIZ LIhl
The order Of proceedings is fixed by a docu-
ment bearing the date OF 1875. The President.
the Alcade of lssba. speaking in Spanish. de-
The mdircS replied Yes a" IN tine same language.
Their herald then advanced and laid his jRvelin
on the top OF the stone IN line with the frontier.
The spanish herald then drove his lance into
French soil close TO the stone, the two lances
thus forming a cross. one OF the French IHdir,S
then placed his right hand ON the section OF the
cross on the stone, then an .Alcaae his hand on
the FrenChman's, and so on in order. the Alcade
OF lsaba's hand being the last. Then on the pile
OF hands the latter rested the batna OF justice,
ana all to9k me oath Of BgacGG, lie Pref5aent
nenceforth ~, and At this signal the Spaniards
discharged their pieces over the heads OF the
ErenchmGn. and consequently in the direction
of France. Then followed fimU0'd uSHng. Origi-
nnlly the payment was three white mares, but
these being difficult to procure, the Baretonais
were allowed to substitute three helters of a
these creatures had been brought. The Span
ish veterinary having taken the oath by placing
his right thumb on the top Of his baton that he
would deal fairly, proceeded to examine the
animals. One OF the three first offered was re-
jectcd. and this gave rise to n very lively dis
pute before, the Alcade. who. 1t may be OBJ
clal air, and perfect selt-command. acted his
part to perfection; uHmoved, apparently
ny ny slistaned it to aIi' SPOKE ' iitiie'k but T ap I%.n sIye To-
the point. Rnd succeeded finally in quelling the
storm. Tho affair OF the animals (Which were
valued at about 50 ench) having been settled,
and an account OF 1t drawn up by the notary. It
was asked If the compact between the two val
leys Ind been observed during the past year. and
II any one wished 10 speak. No one replying.
the alrallc then presented his baton to the two
spanish and to the two french gIrdsS dc mon
fnph'S, who, placing their right thumbs on it,
swore ns representatives to observe the conven-
ton. The notary then obtained the signatures
OF the, Alcaldes and IhdircS to his TtOctS-ucrhdi
calais. This closed the proceedings, and tho
assembly broke up.