1830.] The Campaign of the Spanish Constitutionalists. 681 



the present case, however, the said stags must be content to bear a very 

 different character, and if the circumstances of Mina's escape should 

 be narrated by his enemies, we shall not be surprised to see the poor 

 stags transformed into a couple of devils. 



When General Mina felt assured that the coast was clear, he ventured 

 to quit his retreat, and endeavoured to effect his escape by the most 

 solitary places. After a fatiguing and anxious march, he succeeded in 

 reaching a hamlet ; his sudden appearance produced a strong emotion 

 in the inmates of one of the wretched houses, and he endeavoured to 

 tranquillize their fears. A lad eighteen years of age, then generously 

 offered to conduct the general to the French frontier, which he did 

 with perfect success, and in reward of his humanity and resolution, 

 received a considerable sum of money from the general. 



Having crossed into the French territory, one would suppose that the 

 dangers and trials of Mina were at an end, but this was far from being the 

 case. He arrived at a house near Sara, and there, exhausted with fatigue, 

 and suffering from the combined effects of hunger and want of sleep, 

 he threw himself down to enjoy some repose. Not long after, Santos 

 Ladron, one of the royalist generals, passed by the house where he 

 lay the chief commanded a division of four hundred men, no doubt 

 a part of those who had pursued the party of Valdes into France. 

 Santos Ladron passed by the house where Mina reposed, and never 

 once dreaming that the rich prize was in his power, he returned to 

 Spain without further delay. 



Mina upon his arrival in France appeared in a most wretched con- 

 dition it is asserted that a quartern loaf was the only food which he 

 and his companions tasted for the space of two days. The effects of 

 his sufferings were clearly perceptible upon his constitution ; his 

 wounds bled anew, and to recover his strength, he was afterwards 

 obliged to take the baths of Cambo. 



The attempts made by other constitutional chiefs, have been of less 

 importance ; the one conducted by the brave Colonel de Pablo, called 

 Chapalangaras, is the most worthy of notice, from its terminating in 

 the death of that officer. It must, however, be confessed that De 

 Pablo was guilty of an excess of rashness, not to say folly he boldly 

 marched before a strong body of the enemy, and without further ado 

 attempted haranguing them a few moments afterwards he was pierced 

 with a shower of bullets, and his small band totally dispersed. Colonel 

 Baiges also made an invasion, but was obliged to retreat : such has 

 also been the case with Gurrea. Of the operations of Milans and 

 Grases, nothing positive is known ; but we may venture to assert that 

 from the spirit which reigns in Catalonia and Arragon, invasions are 

 much more likely to be attended with success in those places than in 

 the province of Navarre. The disaster which happened to Mina and 

 Valdes, will be a subject of no wonder to those who have been at the 



C'ns of perusing this sketch of the event ; the wonder would indeed 

 re been, if things had turned out otherwise. A close investigation 

 of facts, will convince any one that if the constitutionalists instead of 

 frittering away their slender powers in petty attempts arid foolish 

 quarrels, had mustered up all their forces, and under the command of 

 Mina marched into Spain two thousand strong, the strength to be 

 supposed to be scattered along the frontiers, they would have deter ~ 

 mined the undecided to join them, and opened the way to Success. 

 M.M. New Scries. VOL. X. No. 60. 4 R 



