The small castle of La Mota is most picturesquely situated like a crown on the conical hill of Monte Orgullo, which rising immediately behind the town westward, is nearly four hundred feet high, and washed by the sea. “The Hill has a broad base of 400 by 600 feet, and is crowned by fort La Mota.” Jones, Journal of Peninsular Sieges, vol. ii.
General Jones’s description of cutting off the aqueduct, and converting it into a globe of compression, is thus prosaic but practical and deadly:—“The parallel crost a drain level with the ground, 4 feet high, and 3 feet wide, through which ran a pipe to convey water into the town. Lieut. Reid ventured to explore it, and at the end of 230 yards, he found it closed by a door in the counterscarp, opposite to the face of the right demi-bastion of the hornwork: as the ditch was narrow, it was thought that by forming a mine, the explosion would throw earth sufficient against the escarpe, only 24 feet high, to form a road over it: eight feet at the end of the aqueduct was therefore stopped with filled sand bags, and 30 barrels of powder of 90 lb. each, lodged against it, and a saucisson led to the mouth of the drain.” Journals of the Sieges undertaken by the Allies in Spain, Supplementary Chapter. The aqueduct had been cut off at the commencement of the siege by the Spanish general, Mendizabal. “It was formed into a globe of compression designed to blow, as through a tube, so much rubbish over the counterscarp as might fill the narrow ditch.” Napier, Hist. book xxi. c. 3. This plan was subsequently realized, and with complete success, “creating” says Jones “much astonishment in the enemy,” at the period of the first assault, which took place on the 25th July, five weeks before the second and memorable storming. I have transferred the incident to the latter part of the siege.
The incident of the discovery of the spring upon Monte Orgullo after the cutting off of the aqueduct, but for which fortunate accident the town would have been probably forced to surrender much sooner, was communicated to me by an officer who was present at the siege. It was found about half way up the cliff where it overhangs the ocean, and surrounded by masonry is carefully preserved to the present day. The water is excellent, and the flow abundant. There were not wanting French partisans at the time, especially amongst the elderly female residents in San Sebastian, who believed the discovery of this spring to be miraculous!
When Marshal Berwick attacked San Sebastian in 1719, he threw up batteries on the same Chofre hills where the Allies now planted theirs. He then pushed his approaches along the isthmus, and established himself on the covered-way of the land front. As soon as the breach was practicable, the governor capitulated. But the present governor, Ney, was made of different stuff. Capitulation was the last thing that he thought of, and Napoléon’s instructions to the defenders of besieged towns were never more terribly fulfilled than by this very gallant man. “Napoléon’s ordinance,” says Napier, “which forbade the surrender of a fortress without having stood at least one assault, has been strongly censured by English writers upon slender grounds. The obstinate defences made by French governors in the Peninsula were the results. * * It may be reasonably supposed that, as the achievements of Napoléon’s soldiers far exceeded the exploits of Louis (XIV.)’s cringing courtiers, they possessed greater military virtues.”—Hist. book xxii. c. 1.
The attack was in a great degree carried on from the midst of “circling orchards.” From the ground taken up by the besiegers to Ernani, the whole country is covered with orchards.
For the costume and other particulars of the Basque barqueras, or boat-girls of the Bidassoa and Urumea, the reader is referred to the tours of Madame D’Aulnoy and M. de Bourgoing. The xaquetilla is a “little jacket” or spencer.
As reference is made to the Guerrillas in this canto, the following brief sketch of the leaders may be acceptable:—
Mina was a man of powerful frame and noble aspect—a fine specimen of Nature’s nobility. He was rather tall, of portly size, with fine chest and shoulders, and gigantic arms. His features were more English than Spanish in their aspect, being by no means dark, and their expression powerful, dignified, and heroic. There is a fine portrait of him in Somerset House, London. Like almost all the Guerrilleros, however, he was cruel. The French, whom they cut off by their most harassing mode of warfare, were mercilessly slaughtered. Mina, who was of the common class of peasant-farmers, began with a band of about twenty men whom he formed from amongst his neighbours, appointing a sergeant and corporal. Repeated successes and the character of the chief swelled this band to 300 in number. Mina then appointed a lieutenant. The latter plotted against his commander, and Mina shot him dead with a pistol, after taxing him with his treason, in presence of his men. The rough Spanish mountaineers liked his daring and resolute character, his band swelled to a thousand, and his new lieutenant again conspired to oust his leader. Mina had this man drowned in a well. He was subsequently left unmolested in his command, until his powerful genius organized and led an army. At his death, which occurred about ten years since in Barcelona, he was a Field Marshal, a Grandé of Spain, and Vice-Roy of Navarre. His widow became Aya or Governess to the present Queen of Spain, Isabel, and held that post till the expulsion of Espartero. Mina had a brother, Xavier Mina, who entered the regular army at an early period of life, and likewise rose to the rank of Field Marshal. He was treacherously shot in Mexico by Morillo.
The Empecinado was in person a still finer man than Mina, but of a much less pleasing aspect. His face was stamped with savage resolution and ferocity. His appearance was strictly Spanish, his complexion being much darker than that of Mina. Both were black-haired, but the Empecinado’s was of a raven intensity of jet. He was one of the strongest men in Europe, tall and square-built—a Hercules to the eye as well as in reality. Some nearly incredible feats are recorded of his prodigious strength. The last of all was the most worthy of note, and recalls the main incident of our fine old English ballad of “Adam Bell, Clym o’ the Clough, and William of Cloudeslie.” During the fatal year of the Duke of Angoulême’s invasion, 1823, when so many Constitutionalists fell victims to Ferdinand’s gloomy ferocity, and Riego was villainously butchered at Madrid, the Empecinado was seized by the myrmidons of Absolutism at a village about twenty miles distant, caged and tortured for three days, and at the end of that time led out for execution. At the foot of the furca or gallows-tree, with one effort he burst the thick cord with which his arms were bound, and seized a gun from one of the soldiers near him. Had he not been instantly slain, there is little doubt that with the butt-end he would have slaughtered a hecatomb of the satellites of power. But the whole file poured their fire into him at once, and he was hung notwithstanding, though the rope was adjusted on a corpse! The Curate Merino was distinguished for bush-fighting, and a rather treacherous and Parthian mode of assault, and his aspect corresponded with his character. His influence over his comrades was secured by promises of eternal happiness.
Blanca’s figuring in childhood in the character of an angel is thus accounted for. The feast of San Sebastian is every year a great event in that ancient town. The celebration is in many respects interesting, including a procession in which female children chosen for their beauty take a very prominent part, bearing baskets of flowers, arrows typical of the martyr’s fate, and other interesting emblems. Their dresses are of the richest description—a little gaudy, to be sure, but beneath the brilliant sky of Spain this is, perhaps, excusable. They represent angels, and are provided with crowns set with mock diamonds, rubies, and topazes of the largest size, and with gauze wings bound round with gold or silver tissue. Short skirts of the ballet class, satin shoes, and white silk stockings, complete an array of splendour which excites, as may well be believed, terrific admiration in their mammas and envy in all the rest of the town. A chorus from time immemorial is sung to celebrate their progress, of which the burthen is: