On being questioned as to his knowledge of the country, he at once offered to guide them to the Casería. “This is your way,” he said, pointing in the direction, whence he had just come, “but yonder is my house,” motioning with his head towards the Cortijo de le las Habas; which, though about half a mile off, was yet visible in the dusk; “I will send my jaded horse home by the boy, and accompany you on foot.”
The commanding officer, to whom this was addressed, made no objection; in fact, he probably thought that their guide would be more in their power without his horse.
Alonzo gave his beast to the lad, saying significantly, “Juanillo, tell my father I have fallen in with some friends and shall not be at home for some little time; be quick; make your way back to the venta without delay, as soon as you have delivered my message; and, as you value your life,—no babbling.”
My son then turned off to the right, taking the best but far the most circuitous route into the valley of Sanona, whilst Juanillo, putting his horse into a canter, proceeded in the direction of the Cortijo de las Habas, but, ere reaching it, struck into the difficult pass you see below there, whence a rude foot-path leads direct to the Casería, and by which he had intended to conduct the enemy.
It seemed to us—what indeed proved to be the case—that my son’s message was intended to hint to us the necessity for flight, and Juanillo’s account of the number of the enemy, would fully have warranted our avoiding an encounter; but, thinking Alonzo’s life would surely pay the forfeit of our escape, we determined to anticipate their attack and give him a chance of saving himself.
Prudence suggested the propriety of sending away our women and children. Mounting them, therefore, on borricos, we hurried them off by the mountain path to the Casa de Castañas, or de las Navas, as it is otherwise called, from the name of its proprietor—a solitary house, situated in a wooded valley, several miles to the north of Sanona.
The women had scarcely left the Casería, ere we heard the distant tramp of horses in the valley below. Leaving a part of the soldiers to defend the house, I led the rest, and my own people, out as silently as possible, and posted them on the upper side of the path by which the French were advancing. The enemy halted directly under the muzzles of our guns, and a corporal and two dragoons were sent on to the house to ask for a night’s lodging.
Nothing could be more favourable than the opportunity now presented for attacking them, but I hesitated to give the word until I had discovered my son, anxious as well to give him a chance of escape, as to save him from our own fire. At last I recognised him: he was standing at the side of the commander of the party, who, with a pistol in his hand, was questioning him in a low tone of voice.
The corporal now thundered at the gate of the Casería. “Quien es?” demanded the soldiers from within. I listened to no more; for, observing that the commander’s attention was for the moment attracted to the proceedings of his advanced guard, and that Alonzo, in consequence, was comparatively out of his reach, “Candela!” I cried out to my people, directing, at the same time, my own unerring rifle at the head of the French captain.
Twenty guns answered to the word. The commander of the enemy fell headlong to the earth; his horse sprung violently off the ground, reared, staggered, and fell back; a dozen Frenchmen bit the dust; the rest turned and fled, ere we could reload our pieces.