DON PEDRO BARANDA. 329 



neighbourhood it was no small recommendation to 

 be the countryman of " the engineer." 



Don Pedro Baranda, the proprietor of the factory, 

 began life in the Spanish navy ; at fifteen he was a 

 midshipman on board the flag-ship of the Spanish 

 admiral at the memorable battle of Trafalgar, and, 

 though not unwounded, was one of the few who 

 escaped the terrible slaughter of that day. At the 

 commencement of the war of Mexican independ- 

 ence he was still in the Spanish navy, but, a Mexi- 

 can by birth, joined the cause of his countrymen, and 

 became admiral of the fleet, which he commanded at 

 the taking of the Castle of San Juan de Ulloa, the 

 closing act of the successful revolution. After this, 

 he resigned and went to Campeachy, his native 

 place, but, being in dehcate health, removed to 

 Valladolid, which, in the absence of all other rec- 

 ommendations, was celebrated for the salubrity of 

 its climate. He had held the highest offices of hon- 

 our and trust in the state, and, although his party 

 was now down and his political influence lost, he 

 had fallen with the respect of all, and, what was a 

 rare thing among the political animosities of that 

 country, the actual government, his successful oppo- 

 nents, gave us letters of introduction to him. 



Retired from office, and unable to endure idleness, 

 the spontaneous growth of cotton around Vallado- 

 lid induced him to undertake the establishment of a 

 cotton factory. He had great difficulties to contend 

 with, and these began with the erection of the build- 



VOL. H.— T T 



