178 Unexplored Spain 



rest of his crew escaped, and found shelter in the fastnesses of 

 the Sierra Morena — thence returning to their favourite hunting- 

 Sfrounds nearer Seville. 



Riding along the bye-ways of Marchena, disguised as rustic 

 travellers, on June 2 they demanded at a remote farm a night's 

 food and lodging. Half-concealed knives and revolvers proved 

 strong arguments in favour of obedience, and, despite suspicion 

 and dislike, the bailiff acceded. This time the Civil Guard were 

 on the track. At midnight they silently surrounded the house, 

 communicated with the watchful bailiff, and ordered all doors 

 to be locked. The turning of a heavy key, however, reached 

 Females' ear. In a moment the miscreants were on the alert. 

 While one saddled-up the horses, the other unloosed a young farm 

 mule, boldly led him across the courtyard to the one open doorway, 

 and, administering some hearty lashes to the animal's ribs, set 

 him off in full gallop into the outer darkness. The police, seeing 

 what they concluded was an attempted escape, first opened fire, 

 then started helter-skelter in pursuit of a riderless mule ! The 

 robbers meanwhile rode away at leisure. 



Five days later, on June 7, both bandits attacked a venta, 

 or country inn, near Los Santos, in Villafranca de los Barrios, 

 carrying off £200 in cash, six mules, with other valuables, and 

 leaving the owner for dead. This particular crime, for some 

 reason or other, was more noised abroad than dozens of others 

 equally atrocious, and orders were now issued jointly both by 

 the Ministro de Gobernacion, the Captain-General of the district, 

 and the Colonels commanding the Civil Guard throughout the 

 whole of the harassed regions, that at all hazards the murderous 

 pair must be taken at once, dead or alive. This peremptory 

 mandate evolved unusual activities ; the whole of the western 

 sierra was reported blockaded. Pernales, nevertheless, receiving 

 warning through innumerable spies of the police plans, succeeded 

 in escaping from the province of Seville into that of C6rdoba, 

 where the pair pursued their career of crime, though now under 

 conditions of increased hazard and difficulty. Sometimes for 

 days together they lay low or contented themselves wath petty 

 felonies. 



Then suddenly in a new district — that of Puente-Genil — 

 burst out a fresh series of the most audacious outrages. Big 

 sums of money, with alternative of instant death, were extorted 



