re thrown out by Tesse on both flanks,
and these began to climb the hills, keeping up a heavy fire at their
concealed foe, while the main column continued its way.

Not a shot was fired by the Spanish until the head of the column was
within a hundred yards of the foot of the rise, and then from the whole
face of the hill a heavy fire was opened. The enemy recoiled, and for a
time there was great confusion near the head of the column; an officer
of high rank dashed up, and the troops formed out into a line across the
whole width of the valley and then moved forward steadily; so heavy were
their losses, however, that they presently came to a standstill. But
reinforcements coming up, they again pressed forward, firing as they
went.

Not until they were within twenty yards did the Miquelets lining the
lower wall of rocks leave their post, and, covered by the smoke, gain
with little loss the line next above them. Slowly the enemy won their
way uphill, suffering heavily as they did so, and continually being
reinforced from the rear. At the last wall the peasants, gathered now
together, maintained a long resistance; and it was not until fully four
thousand of the enemy were brought up that the position was seriously
threatened. Then their leader, seeing that they would sustain very heavy
loss if the enemy carried the wall by assault, ordered his trumpeter to
sound the retreat. It was at once obeyed, and by the time the French had
crossed the wall the peasants had already passed out at the other end of
the village.

As the French cavalry had not been able to pass the lower walls there
was no pursuit. The peasants rallied after a rapid flight of a mile.
Their loss had been small, while that of the French had been very
considerable; and the marshal halted his troops round the village for
the day.

The result of the fighting added to the resolution of the peasants,
and as soon as the French continued their route the next morning the
fighting began again. It was a repetition of that of the preceding day.
The enemy had to contest every foot of the ground, and were exposed to
a galling fire along the whole line of their march. Many times they made
desperate efforts to drive the peasants from the hillsides; sometimes
they were beaten back with heavy loss, and when they succeeded it was
only to find the positions they attacked deserted and their active
defenders already beyond musket fire. At night they had no respite; the
enemy s