"Our Lady of the Dew" 87 



commandino; at Seville ordered that Almonte should be razed 

 to the ground and its inhabitants belieaded — that being the 

 penalty decreed by Murat for any shedding of French blood. 

 A detachment of dragoons, despatched to Almonte, had already 

 taken prisoner the mayor, the priests, and all the chief in- 

 habitants preparatory to their execution. In this grave situation 

 they bethought themselves to pray to the Virgin of Rocio, 

 promising that if she would rescue them from their deadly peril, 

 they would institute a new pilgrimage to her shrine for 

 thanksgiving. 



Already the detachment of French soldiers detailed to carry 

 out the executions had reached Pilas, a village within six leagues 

 of Almonte, when, by mere coincidence, a handful of Spanish 

 troops flung themselves against the French positions at Seville. 

 The French, thinking that their assailants must be the fore- 

 runners of a larger army, hurriedly recalled all their outposts, 

 including those commissioned to destroy Almonte ! 



Thus the wretched Alcalde and his fellow-prisoners were 

 saved ; for, their innocence of the " crime " being presently estab- 

 lished, the town was let off with a fine. Since then, in accordance 

 with the promise made 100 years ago, the whole of Almonte 

 repairs every 7th of August to the shrine of Nuestra Sefiora del 

 Rocio. 



PRAYING MANTIS [Mantis religiose 



