Year: 1873




to execute any order he may give
them.


1t is related of him that he was
declared an outlaw by the Spanish
Government in 1870, that he passed
a whole year in hiding, but that he
plotted for the Carlists with such
zeal as to bring the secret police
and the gems d'armes on his track,
and that he had several narrow es-
capes from death or capture.
Scarcely had Don Carlos made his
second appeal to the Spanish peo-
ple.in 1S72-which was responded
to by some thousands of partisans,
though still scantily supplied with
arms-when Santa Cruz once more
appeared in the mountains. He left
his retreat in France, crossed the
frontier, and when on Spanish soil
offered his services as chaplain to a
band Of about 400 Guipuzcoans,
commanded by one Recindo. The
vicissitudes during this attempt ill.,
cludcd the disastrous combats of
Onate and Manaria, and the defeat
and dispersion of Orosquieta. San
ia Cruz was one of those who escap-
ed after the defeat of Orosquieta,
and we soon find him again in
France. In France he remained but
short time, for knowing that the
struggle was still carried on in spite
of all difficulties, he returned to
Spain, and as before, proffered his
services as chaplain. This time the
cause of the bands were increasing
in number, and spreading through
out Biscay, and had actually hemmed
in column of troop, among whom
the dissatisfaction which was rap
idly dissolving the Spanish army
had not yet reached, in the Ames-
coas. 1t happened that in


ONE OF THE FoRAYs


Santa Cruz was cut off from the par.
ty to which he was attached, and
taken prisoner. On being brought
into the presence of the command
ing officer, he made no attempt at
concealment. 81 am" he said,
"Santa Cruz, Cure of Herniald. /
am in your power through my own
rashness-do with me as you please;
my life is in your hands," "Then
my good frlend," answered the 9TH
er, "there is nothing more to be
said but to recommend you to make
your peace with heaven, for in few
hours you shall be shot" $50 be
it; it is a consolation to know that
l die in righteous cause" His
arms were bound with cords, he
was thrown upon mule, conducted
under a strong escort to a neighbor-
ing village, and locked up in room
in the upper story of house, next
to loft where maize was stored,
and then his bonds were loosened.
From this room, which was to serve
as a capilla or chapel, where the
condemned criminal was to spend
his last night, he was to be taken
next morning for execution. The
house was ill-guardcd, for the de-
tachment, tired and worn out by
marching and countermarching in
pursuit Of an enemy they could new
er come up with, had moreover to
guard against surprise in the viii
lage church, and could spare but
few men for the prisoner. 1t was
rumorcd, too, that some of the SOL
diers were not over solicitous as to
his safe custody. 1t spread like
wildfire through the village and the
country round that the Priest of
Hernialde was in the hands of his
enemies, and already in the capilla.
All the inhabitants, women as well
as men, were Carlists, and of course
friends of the prisoner, whom they
had known from childhood. He
saw a group of them as he was led
to his prison, and threw out a sig
nal which they well understood, and
which escaped the notice of his
guards. He entered his room, and
after partaking of retreshment-for
it is considered a sacred duty to
give a prisoner whatever he may
have fancy for-he desired to be
left alone, to prepare for death. On
inspecting the bed on which he was
to sleep his last, he found it was
furnished with the usual allowance
of sheets and coarse linen.


No time was to be lost, AS the
officer of the guard would soon make
his visit. He set to work and made
a rope Of the sheets, which he cut
into proper lengths. While his
guards were eating their rations al
the door below Santa Cruz quietly
opened the small window, the only
one in the room, which was at the
back, looking into garden planted
with fruit trees, made fast the rope
to an iron bar which ran across
over the window frame, slid down.
and when within three or four feet
of the ground found himself in the
arms of his friends, who had under
stood his signal and were waiting
for him. In half an hour the ser.
geant of the guard made his visit,
and to his great CONSERVATION (at
least apparently, he found that the
prisoner was gone. The open win
dow and improvised rope told
which way he had passed. The
officer sent out as many men as he
could spare in pursuit of the fugu.
tive, and spent the greater part OF
the night searching every house in
the village. but in vain.


Santa Cruz's hiding place was in.
deed not far off; it was marsh or
swamp covered over with reeds and
bulrushes, and in this he remained
for eight or ten hours, up to his
neck in water. When he saw that
the coast was clear, he emerged
from this unpleasant bath, and made
his way to the hut of a wood-cutter,
which had already been more than
once searched by the soldiers, SO
that it was probable it would not
again be visited. The wood-cutter,
who, by the way, was more Car
list than Don Carlos himself, gave
| him a few dollars.