ugh Zumalacarregui was acquainted with the characteristic
fidelity of these men, he could not help being struck with this instance
of it. His natural generosity of character prevented him from hesitating
a moment in restoring his confidence to the offender. "Rest yourself
to-night," he said to him; "to-morrow you will have to go upon a
service of the greatest importance, and which you alone are able to
perform." And the man left the room, perfectly consoled for the pain and
humiliation of his beating, by these few kind words, addressed to him in
presence of his comrades.

Another anecdote will illustrate the affection of the Carlist soldiers
for their leader, and their sympathy with his difficulties. The troops
all wore _alpargatas_--a species of sandal, of which the sole is of
plaited hemp. These are admirably adapted for long marches in dry
weather, but the wet destroys them, and they go to pieces directly. Of
these sandals, as of every other description of equipment, there was
sometimes great difficulty in obtaining a sufficient supply. One day
that it rained heavily, Zumalacarregui was going to pass, with several
battalions, from the Ulzama to the valley of Ollo. The soil was clay,
and there was sure to be a great destruction of the hempen shoes.
Zumalacarregui, who at that time had no others wherewith to replace
them, rode along the line of march, and spoke to man here and there. "A
peseta," said he, (about tenpence sterling,) "for every man who presents
himself this evening with a sound pair of alpargatas." The word was
passed from mouth to mouth; the soldiers understood the difficulty in
which their general was, took off their shoes, and performed a long and
toilsome march barefoot. The next day, when Zumalacarregui ordered the
promised recompense to be distributed, the commandants of battalions
said that it was unnecessary, for that none of the men claimed it.

About this time, Zumalacarregui made an expedition beyond the Ebro, with
the view of carrying off a quantity of woollen cloth from the
manufactories at Escaray. He was unsuccessful in the immediate object of
the expedition; but, at a short distance from Logrono, he fell in with a
convoy, escorted by two companies of infantry and three strong squadrons
of dragoons. The latter charged the Carlist cavalry, which was of much
inferior force, and threw it into complete disorder. Zumalacarregui, who
was a short way behind, saw the disgraceful flight of his lance