Year: 1873


Probably only those who were in captivity in the
Confederate States would be able to realize fully
what visit to Santa Crux's headquarters means
have been here now for nearly forty-eight hours
and there has not been an hour during which
could feel that the next would not bring upon
me either an order to be shot or for some other
equally cruel inniction. On coming down from
that eagles nest called Peha de la Plata where the
Carlists have established their first and perfectly
lmpregnable fortress, did not find


THE CRLEBRATRD CURE


either at Achalar. as I expected, or at Vera. He
had already marched or towards Tolosa with
some six hundred Of his crack men and two can
mons. had consequently to present myself to a
rough-lookng chap OF barely twenty years, armed
TO the teeth, and bearing the sonorous name Of
Don Estevan Indart, and the important rank
OF the commander Of the place and forces
OF Vera. He was asleep when, after hav-
Ing been taken at the outskirt of the
town by some PATROLS l was brought into his
room. Lying across the bed, his head hanging
down 1om it and his legs up on the wall, he was
snoring most formidaby. But after q few calls
accompanied by Q few pokes Of the sergeant, the
worthy warrior woke up and began to examine
my papers without changing In the least his pic
turesque tOpsy turvy attitude. From the tone OF
his voice. II not from the words he uttered, per-

beirg Just as unable to understand them as the
patrols were. Not only were the foreign docu-
ments unintelligible to him, but even the Cariist
passport, BY which the Ministers Of Don Carlos
granted me free circulation amid


"HIs MAJEsrY's' ARMIES,


and which was worded in Spanish, was a dead let
ter to Don Estevan Indart. Being q Basquese as
well as the majority Of his soldiers he did not
know Spanish and did not seem to care for 1t
Without even looking at me or attempting to
arrive at any sort OF understanding, he
gave some orders to the sergeant, and l was
marched out OF the room. crowd Of armed men
and Of ragged children had already assembled
around my horse, and began now to examine me
rs closely as they examined my tired animal, its
saddle, and the bags strapped to it which carried
my scanty luggage. To all my attempts to inquire
whether could see Senior Santa Cruz 1 had only
the short and abrupt answer Of "Sa,sda" (appar-
emily the only Spanish word these men knew, and
which meant ''g0ne away'D. And here l stood
without knowing what was to become Of me, wnen
presently the patrol sergeant appeared with


CLBANLY DRESSED GIRL,


who. after addressing me few questions In excel
lent French and Spanish. went up to the Com
msnder's room with my papers. Within few min
utes she was back again, handed me the papers
and said that Don Estevsn had ordered her to take
me her house, where had to wait till the return
OF Senior Santa Cruz. To my inquiry whether |
would have to wait long, she said no one knew
or was able to tell me anything; while
TO the question whether could proceed further
should the Cure not return soon, got the short
but explicit answer Of "No.n In this way find
myself practically the prisoner Of Don Estevan
Indart and of my little interpreter, without knowing
when shall be released, or even by what stratagem
i shall be able to forward you this letter.


Happily enough my hostess is, or rather my
hostesses are, quite charming persons as far as
their amiability Is concerned. Their father who Is
the only, and consequently the leading, tailor Of
the town seems to have saved money enough to
send his two girls to Bayonne to study the art of
millinery. Together with this trade the girls
learned there French and Spanish, and have now
nothing Of the peculiar Basquese look about them.
They don't wear even the usual Basquese costume,
and consider themselves, and are evidently con-
Bidered by everybody, as very distinguished
'iadies." The eldest girl is humpbacked, and con-
sequently less admired but the second is evidently
general attraction in the town.


SANTA CRUZ


known to be full OF hate to the fair sex, and OF
never having kept female servant, or even al
lowed his sisters to live his house. seems to have
made an exception for the young Vera milliners,
being in frequent business intercourse with them
and having appointed them to superintend the
manufacture OF clothing for his soldiers. There
has been OF course, for these last years no mil
inery work OF any kind to be expected, and so the
girls are quite glad to become military taiors, and
BEEN to discharge their duties to the full satisac-
tion Of the ferocious Cure. And while the two
American sewing machines were going their null
speed the girls talked to me all day long, and told
me about the inner life OF their little and unlucky
town more than could ever have learned BY per-
ponal observation during the forty-eight hours
have been o captive nere.


THE TOWN OF VERA


IA, as matter of course, throughout Cariist. The
republicans have taken possession OF 1t nve times
since the Carlist war broke ont and the utterly