Year: 1875

when commanded to engage in some
service he deemed dishonorabie.


One remarkable instance of this moral
and physical intrepidity is worthy Of be-
ing recorded. Don Pedro had determ-
ined on the entire destruction Of little
village occupied by the natives, and had
issued command that the torch was to
be applied. and men. women and chill.
dren pnt to the sword, with as much in
difference as he would have placed his
foot upon an ant-hill.


He sent one of his most infamous
captains to De Soto with orders that he
should Immediately take his troop of
horse, proceed to the doomed village.
gallop into its peaceful and defenseless
streets, set fire tie every dwelling and,
with their keen sabres, cut down every
man woman and child. 1t was deed
fit for only demons to execute. De Soto
deemed himself insulted at receiving
such a command. This was not war
it was simply bl.tchery, as the defense-
less could make no resistance. Indig-
nantly and heroically he replied:


Tell Don Pedro that my life and my
services are always ct his disposal, when
the duty 10 be performed is such as may
become Christian and a gentleman.
But, in the present case, l think the
Governor would have shown more dis. :
cretion in entrusting you, Captain Perez
with such commission. instead of
sending it by you to myself.
This reply, Captain Perez might have
taken, as it was evidently intended by
De Soto. to reflect very severely upon
his own character. but instead of re-
ssntlng it, he carried the message to the
Governor, who, seeing that duel must
be the necessary result, was highly graf
i6ed.


Captain Perez was veteran soldier,
the most expert swordsman in the army
and. being Of a quarrelsome disposition.
had already fought many duels in which
he invariably killed his man. In re-
contre between the youthful DE Soto
and the veteran CAPTAIN Perez there
could be no doubt in the mind of Don
Pedro as to the result. He, therefore,
smiled very blandly On Captain Perez
and said:


Well, my friend. if you, who are
veteran soldier, can endure tie inso-
lence of tLis young man, De Soto. l
see no reason why an infrm old man
like myself should be obliged to resent
it,


Captain Perez was not at all reluctant
to take the hint SC adroitly thrown out,
as it would give him an opportunity to
add another name to the list of those
who had already fallen before his sword.
The challenge was Immediately given.
and Soto's doom was sealed. Duels In
the Spanish army were fashionable. and
there was no moral sentiment which re-
ooiled in the slightest degree from the
barbarous practice.


The two combatants met with drawn
swords in the presence of nearly all the
officers of the Spanish army and of
vast concourse of spectators. The strip
ling De Soto displayed skill with his
weapon, which not only baffied his vet
eran opponent, but which excited the
surprise and admiration of all the on
lockers.


For two hours the deadly conflict con-
tinued without any decisive result. De
Soto had received several trifiing
wounds, while his antagonist was un-
harmed. At length, by fortunate blow,
he il fieted such cash upon the right
wrist of Perez that his sword dropped
from his hard. As he attempted to
catch it with his left hand, he stumbled
and fell to the ground. De Soto in
stantly stood over him with his sword
at his breast, demanding that he should
beg for his life. The proud man, then
for the first time in his life discomftted,
was chagrined beyond endurance, and
in sullen silence refused to cry for mer-
cy. De Soto magnanimously returned
his sword to its scabbard, saying, 1.-The
life that is not worth asking is not
worth taking"


He then gracefully bowed to the nu-
merous spectators and retired from the
field greeted with the enthusiastic ac-
carnations of all who were present.
This achievement gave the youthful vic-
tor prominence above any other man in
the army Perez was so humiliated by
his defeat that he threw up his commits
sion and returned to Spain. Then the
new world was rid of one of the vilest
adventurers who had cursed it.