burst open, with the loss of three men wounded only, our volunteers rushed into the church, but they were only able to surprise one or two of the enemy, the rest having retreated into the steeple, of which the staircase had been broken away, and where they had most strongly barricaded themselves. As they obstinately refused to surrender, and it would have taken too long to undermine the massive walls of the old steeple-in which act the approach of some Christino column would probably have interrupted us-it was resolved to set fire to it. Piles of wood, tow, goat-skins full of brandy, and other inflammable matter, were piled at the foot of the steeple, from the interior of the church; and the Baron de Los Valles, having just arrived, was entrusted with the commission of setting fire to it. The besieged had no doubt of being relieved before daybreak, and therefore were loud in their jokes against the Carlists, to whom they called out, "Mountain thieves! sons of monks ! rebels! you will soon have to run back to your mountains-the columns are advancing!"

Night closed in—but it brought no intermission of the assault -by-and-by

The shrieks of some who had taken refuge in corners of the building where they were reached by the flames, as well as the women and children who saw the devouring element raging below, were heard at intervals; and although orders were given to fire only on the men, it was often impossible to distinguish the dark figures that flitted before the light, endeavouring to breathe an instant out of the smoky atmosphere. It was repeatedly proposed to them to let the women and children out, but this they refused. The bells had all fallen in, and packets of cartridges were constantly exploding. Towards morning a few faint cries of "Viva el Rey!" were heard from the women, and the commandant of the Tower inquired if quarter would to be given them? He was answered "No; the men had none to hope for." He then inquired if it was Zumalacarregui who had besieged them, and which was he? The general had just arrived, and most imprudently went beyond the corner of the church, exclaiming "Aqui estoy!"Here I am. The commandant then said they could bear the heat and smoke no longer, and asked if they would be allowed the consolations of religion before they suffered death. Zumalacarregui replied, that the Carlists had never denied that yet, but not to flatter themselves with the hope of mercy. The commandant then answered, that they surrendered. But how men who had defended themselves so desperately, and who had no chance for

*This is the French officer who has published a volume entitled 'The Career of Don Carlos,' and containing some very interesting chapters-especially one on Don Carlos's escape from London, and incognito journey through France to the seat of war. We have great doubts, however, whether Prince Talleyrand was not perfectly well aware of all that was going on. If Carlos be finally thrown over in Spain, nothing can prevent his resuming all his natural rights as First Prince (after the exiles at Prague) of the House of Bourbon.

their lives, missed the opportunity of shooting the Carlist leader, who was not above fifty yards from them, firing downwards, when it is so much easier to aim, and a bullet carries so much straighter than in a horizontal direction, has always been a matter of surprise to me, particularly as several shots were fired afterwards by them.

'When ladders were placed to the church-roof, and the volunteers went up to receive their arms, they shot one soldier, and an officer was wounded; the men who had fired were bayoneted on the spotone in particular, who defended a narrow ledge, and was struck in the breast by a volunteer, fell from the top to the bottom of the steeple headlong at our feet: the rest made no resistance. Three women (one a Carlist prisoner) and four children had perished, and above thirty of the garrison, either by the smoke or the flames, or the shot of the assailants. Those that remained were so blackened by the smoke, that they presented a most ghastly appearance, when, with considerable difficulty, they were got down over the roof of the church, which, although the steeple was burning for ten or twelve hours, had never taken fire. The commandant and his lieutenant were brought before the general, who inquired whether the garrison had been acting all along by their orders. The commandant hesitated, but the ex-schoolmaster boldly replied, "Yes; they acted by our orders." The former was a short man, about four-and-thirty, his form athletic, and his bones all thickly set; he was dressed in blue trowsers and a zamarra. The smoke to which he had been all night exposed had swollen his eyelids and darkened his face. This was the son of Ximenes; on the whole, he presented the idea of a bold and determined ruffian. The schoolmaster, who was also below the middle stature, had an open and prepossessing countenance, and he behaved in every respect with the firmness of a man; while the captain occasionally betrayed signs of weakness, which I should scarcely have expected after his gallant defence, for such it incontestably was.

66

"Have you anything to say in your defence?" inquired the general. The reply of the lieutenant was :-"That he neither begged for mercy, nor did he suppose it likely that pardon would be granted him. They might, however, do worse than let him live; he had no affection either for the queen or for Don Carlos, but where chance had thrown him, that party, as they had seen, he would serve if they chose to try him, and let him live, he would serve the king like a soldier-if they shot him, like a soldier he would die." And you?" said the general to the captain. "I only surrendered," replied Lorenzo Ximenes," because I was promised quarter; if not, I should have held out longer. You may judge from my behaviour whether I would not have perished in the tower if I had not distinctly un derstood so." "It is false," hastily interrupted the general; did I speak to myself?" "To me," said the lieutenant. "And did you say to the commandant that I had offered quarter?" "No; I 2 M 2

"who

told

told him that you had refused us our lives, and we should both have perished there, only the smoke had grown intolerable: this is the truth, or you would not hold me here now." The general beckoned with his hand for them to be removed. "You will remember my father and brother?" said Lorenzo imploringly. "If I have done wrong, they have served the king faithfully." The whining tone in which this appeal was made contrasted unfavourably with the bold and frank demeanour of his fellow-captive. "If your father and brother had been taken," said the general, "your treason would have been no palliation of their loyalty." The schoolmaster, I remember, held a paper cigar between his fingers (for at all times and seasons the Spaniards smoke), and was looking round for a light. The general took his own cigar from his mouth, and handed it to him to ignite his by; he bowed respectfully as he returned it to him. "Think on what I have said, general," cried he, as they were led away. It was evident that Zumalacarregui was strongly prepossessed in his favour; he gazed after him with that intense and penetrating look so peculiar to him, and muttered a few words, in which "What a pity for that lad!" alone were audible.'

Henningsen happened to be one of the officers of the watch that night, and he and his comrade established themselves in the same house with these two unhappy men. Presently the father of the Christino Captain, old Ximenes, the most devoted of Carlists, announced himself at the door.

When I heard that Ximenes was come I could not help feeling a thrill of horror, and we were all about retiring, when the prisoners begged us to remain. The meeting-and the parting of the father, for the last time on this side of the grave, from a son,-who, however divided in opinions, and sinning in his political tenets, was still united to him in blood and in affections, which he in vain endeavoured to control and smother, -this was a heart-rending scene. Ximenes had sacrificed his fortune, and the ease and independence of his old age, to his duty and he now saw his eldest, and once his best beloved, son about to suffer death, with the consciousness that he had done his part to bring him to a punishment so bitter. He had resolved at first not to trust himself with an interview, but the prayer of his son, against whom all animosity was now buried, he had been unable to refuse. Ximenes, whom I have known much of both before and since, is a man who, although advanced in the vale of years, is still hale and healthy, short of stature, sharp-featured, and grey-haired,-but I shall never forget when he entered the room, his son's throwing himself at his feet, and the expression of his countenance as the tears started to his grey eyes and rolled over his weather-beaten cheeks; in an instant they were locked in each other's embrace; retiring into the alcove they conversed earnestly for some time, but not, from what I involuntarily gathered, until the last, about the possibility of saving

him.

him. As the father took leave of him we heard him distinctly and earnestly say, "Is there no hope, then?" "Pide usted à Dios!""You must pray for it to God!" replied the old man, as he tore himself away. When he was gone, we sent up the larger part of our supper to the prisoners, who had their rations, but which they could only get cooked soldier-fashion. We had much conversation with them. The commandant seemed much more tranquil after this interview,and his lieutenant preserved the same sang-froid as at first. A day or two days after, having been tried by the auditor of war, the pri

soners were shot.

'I have often seen old Ximenes since. He still continues to serve us with the same zeal, and has been on many and dangerous expeditions, but he is visibly altered, and has always a settled gloom and melancholy in his countenance. I have heard that Lorenzo had offered him a large sum of money to gain him over; this had come to Zumalacarregui's knowledge, through the intelligences he kept up in the heart of the adverse party, and he had reproached Ximenes with not having informed him of it. On account of this, it was said he had been deterred from making any application to obtain the pardon of his son. This may or may not be, and it signified little, as, under existing circumstances, it was out of the general's power to have granted it.'

Our readers will find many chapters not less interesting in the pages of Captain Henningsen. The boldest inventions of the historical romancer fade into dimness beside the grotesque horror of these living portraitures. The Captain has, however, abundant materials of a more agreeable sort--his descriptions of scenery are extremely graphic-and he tells many humorous stories with glee and effect.

We confess that we contemplate neither of the two parties in this Spanish conflict with much interest of a political nature. For anything like what we call freedom, the country is wholly unfit-what liberal institutions' mean, the one side do not, in the smallest degree, comprehend-and the other side attach notions the most fantastically absurd to these vague terms. Whether the niece or the uncle shall sit ultimately on the throne, the system of government, when peace and safety are once restored, will continue much the same that it has been-for a long period to come, -much longer, certainly, than that of our own lives: but we do think the scenes now depicted by this brave and artless soldier ought to produce something more effective than such a mission as was that of Lord Eliot and Colonel Gurwood. The good effects of their interference were short-lived,-and whichever party first broke the compact of Aserta-(we believe the fault lies with the Christinos),-it must be obvious that nothing but stronger measures, adopted not by one power but by some general congress, can arrest this system of murder.

We

We think it just to Captain Henningsen to present, in conclusion, his opinion, very summarily expressed, of the ultimate chances of Don Carlos-supposing the rival Bourbons of Spain to fight out the battle on their own resources-or with only the insignificant aid of petty bands of unauthorized foreign mercenaries. He introduces it with an ominous sentence.

'Don Carlos came to risk his person amidst a handful of followers in the mountains of his hereditary dominions, like Charles Stuart in the Highlands. Hitherto, it is true, his success has not been decisive; but of his eventual triumph, those who are acquainted with the popularity of his cause in the Peninsula, protracted as the struggle may be, can have but little doubt. The northern provinces can only be subdued by the extermination of the male population, the transplanting of families, burning of harvests, and destroying every human habitation, as was attempted by the French Convention in La Vendée. But to effect all this in a country like the present seat of war, which baffled the genius of Napoleon with all his legions, and where every arbitrary act, instead of striking terror, arms fresh masses of its population, would require, I apprehend, a larger army than was ever marshalled under any man since the days of Xerxes. It would, moreover, be forced to feed upon itself, like a swarm of lemings, when its work was done. I am aware that the public at a distance has been accustomed to receive very different impressions; but people have too long been kept in ignorance of facts by the intrigues of the Stock Exchange and the confederate Jews, its rulers, the Rothschilds and Mendizabals, who, like the jackals and vultures, fatten their carrion carcasses where the fray has been, and, as Byron so appropriately expresses it

"Stand afresh,

To cut from nations' hearts their pound of flesh."'

The official return of Don Carlos's forces, on the 1st of January, 1836, gives-for Navarre, Alava, and Biscay, 35,200 men;-for Catalonia, 22,363;-in all, 57,563.

ART. X.-1. Chapters of Contemporary History. By Sir John Walsh, Bart. 8vo. London. 1836.

2. Reflections on the O'Connell Alliance; or, Lichfield House Conspiracy. Cheltenham. 1836. 8vo.

3. Vindication of the House of Lords. By Æneas Macdonell, Esq., Barrister-at-Law. London. 1836. 8vo.

SIR

4. The Portfolio. Nos. I-VII. London. 1835-1836. 8vo. IR JOHN WALSH has given us a very important work. No longer himself a member of the House of Commons, he has continued to watch the proceedings of that assembly,

as