A STRANGE LIFE

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 541, 4 October 1871, Page 2

A STRANGE LIFE

The life of Catalina (commonly known as Catalin de JErauso) forms one connected chain of events as extraordinary as they are romantic.

Oataliua was bora in the town of Saint Sebastian, in Spain, in the year 1592, of a Spanish hidalgo, an officer in the Spanish army. The hidalgo was already burdened with three daughters, and as a fourth proved a very unwelcome addition to his family, he determined to place her under tho care and keeping of his sister-in-law— the lady superior of the convent of Saint Sebastian, lie did so, and Jic-ver saw her again.

She proved a famous plaything for the nun's, for she was as wild and playful as a kitten, until she reached the age of ten, when she became more thoughtful and rather more rebellious. Her excitable nature began to pine for liberty. She would sit for hours watching the sea and sky, as they stretched far away from the walls of her narrow convent to the blue Biscayan mountains.

At times she heard of the exploits of her countrymen on the great American continent, and her spirit was stirred within her. The years dragged on slowly, and the longing for liberty grew at last irresistible. She watched her opportunity for escape, and that opportunity soon came. One evening, just before vespers, her aunt gave her the key of a private desk, that she might fetch her a breviary, which she had forgotten. Kate saw within this desk the keys of the convent. Leaving it open, she returned to her aunt with the breviary and the key, and then complained of a headache. Her aunt told her to go to bed. heturning immediately. to the desk, Rate selected the keys she required ; she also took a few coins from her aunt's purse, some thread, a needle, a pair of scissors, and a thimble. She then let herself out of the convent, taking the precaution of locking her old friends in. Hurrying into a chestnut wood, she slept till dawn, then rosr, and made such alterations as she could in her dress, so as to disguise her sex. hate was now about fifteen, and she made her way speedily to a maternal relative who resided at A rittoria He received her kindly, and she stayed with him for a short time. Hut she soon grew weary of the monotony of his house, and ste-dine a little money, proceeded to Valladolid.

At Valladolid the young girl, while listening to a military band, was insulted by some street ruffians. They threw stones at her, and she, in self-defence, threw the stones back again, wounding several of tho rascals. The police interfered, and were proceeding to convey Kate to prison, when a young officer, who had witnessed the whole scene from his house, and had been struck by her beauty and audacity, came forth aud explained the circumstances of the case, and she was released. fl h<-- young c-ivaliei-, Don Francisco Je Cardenas, by name, offered Kate a situation amongst his retinue, which she gladly accepted. Kate spent three months very happily in J'on Francisco's service. Unluckily, however, one evening in the twilight her father made his appearance. He had come to tell Don Francisco of the escape of his daughter from the convent. iNo one had traced her to Valladolid; but Don Francisco happened to be the patron of the convent. IC'ite thought it whs her best plan to •■b^cond at once, for although she was not recognised as yet, she might soon be, and then the Don, however much he might wish it, would be totally unable to protect her as a Tunaway nun from the horrors of the Inquisition. The crime she had committed was a very natural one, and really no crime at all ; for, in taking possession of her liberty, she had merely taken possession of that which belonged to her. But the Tlomish Church looked upon this as one of Ihe most deadly oli'euces, and punished it accordingly. Kate sailed forth at dusk with a change of linen under her arm. That night she slept in a stable ; and falling in with two muleteers, who told her of an expedition about to sail for America, she journeyed with them to Seville. Fr< m thence she reached the port of iSaint Lucar. Being apparently a tine young fellow, she was engaged in one of the vessels as mate. Her ship doubled Cape Horn in safety, and ncared the coast of Peru. Almost within sight of the Port of Paita (their destination) the vessel struck on a coral reef. All excepting Kate and thecaptain deserted the ship, endeavouring to escape in the long-boat; but when very near the shore the boat capsized, and all the men were lost.

Kate set to work and constructed a raft, put some Spanish coins equal to one hundred guineas into a pillow-case, lashed it to the-raft, and threw the raft into the sea. She jumped in after it, aud got upon it safely, bogging the captain to iollow. In jumping over he hit his head against a spar and 'sunk. Kate was washed ashore and lay for hours unconscious. Recovering herself, she saw a desolate coast stretching right and left. She had nothing to eat or drink, but the raft,had been thrown up close beside Iter, with.the money safe. She distributed the_ money about her person, and set forwards in what, luckily, proved to be the right^ direction. She'had found a barrel of biscuit, and packing up some of this, she went ou, reaching' , aita the third day, towards

evening. ;At Paita she got employment as clerk, in the establishment of a merchant named Urquiza. Site even hud to superintend an establishment at Paiti<, while he himself attended in person to-another business at Tuagillo He gave Kate brief and clear directions for her guidance in- her hew duties. There were two peculiar items in these instructions; one was to let a certain handsome lady have unlimited credit, 'even to the extent of the whole shop if she chose to demand it; the other was just the :oppdsite-^parhely,' to let the lady's cousiu, one Senor Reyes, have ho credit,at kill. The lady soon began'to show that she' was in love with the handsome shopman. Her cousiu, on the oilier hand, began to manifest strong' feelings of animosity towards his supposed rival, and at length showed his .hatred by an opeu,insult; this led to a duel, in wh-ic-bj Kate liad tho misfortune, to run her sword through his heart. She-Was immediately seized bynihe police, aud taken to prison. . / ;.; ,'j*; , / iThere appeared small hopes of her ever coming out again, except for execation; for the, murdered 'man's relatives were

clamorous for justice, and the prisoner had no influential friends to bribe the judge. However, there was the handsome lady, and to her Kate applied; One evening they smuggled her out of the prison, and took her to a house in the suburbs, where it.was not long before she was astonished and alarmed to hear that it was necessary for her to marry the handsome lady in order to escape the law. There could be no delay, so after supper a kind of bridal procession was formed. A servant woman went first then her old employer, Urquiza, bearing candles, then the lady, and, lastly, Kate, the bridegroom. There was a step down into the room, and Urquiza went in first. Kate saw at a glance that there were no windows in the room, she therefore determined not to enter. The kdy went to the bottom of the step, aud then turned round to assist Kate into the room. R ate put her arm round the lady's waist, threw her with all her force against the merchant Urquiza, shut the door, locked it, and then ran. The servant woman had fled in affright; the way of exit was therefore clear. . Hurrying down to the port, she .lumped into a little boat, hoisted a sail, and pushed off with a boat-hook. A light breeze wafted her little vessel along, and she cleared the mouth of the harbour in safety. Overcome with fatigne and excitement, she now fell asleep. When she awoke, the sun was shining brightly, but no land was to be seen. She had no provisions, and could not tell in which direction she ought to sail. Very soon, however, a large ship loomed upon the horizon; and as its course carried her very nearly across Kate's, she lay-to, and took the young sailor in. She told the first lieutenant as much truth as was convenient, and they were both satisfied. The ship was bound to Conception with recruits for the Spanish army. Kate enlisted ; and oh reaching the port, recognised, in the officer who came to inspect the recruits, her own brother. He was the governer-general's secretary, and held a high command as a cavalry officer besides. He took special notice of Kate, as being a fellow-countryman, and did many little kindness for her. He also made her a trooper in his own regiment. War was at that time raging with the Indians of Peru and Chili, and in many a hot engagement did Kate bravely do her duty. In one of these, nearly all the officers and most of the men of her squadron were killed, and the standard was lost. Gathering together a small party, Kato rode after the Indians, charged them, and saw her comrades fall, one by one, until she alone was left ; but in spite of her wounds she rescued the standard, and brought it m triumph to the general, who in acknowledgement of her prowess, created her an Alfirez, or standard-bearer, on the spot. Years passed on, and Kate was'still serving in the Spanish army, when a brother officer requested her to be his second in a duel., _ She consented, and the duel was arranged to take place under the calls of a monastery, at eleven o'clock at night. The night was very dark, but the two principals succeeded in killing each other. The seconds, according to custom, now had to fight to avenge their principals. Kate passed her sword through her opponent's body, who, calling out with his dying breath, ' Ah, villain, you have killed me !' revealed to the horrified sister that she had unwittingly killed her brother. After giving her a refuge in the monastery for a few days, the monks suppfasKate with a horse and some pro vis ied and sent Iter away. As she went along the coast she fell in with two deserters from the army. They were going across the Cordilleras to find the river Dorado. Kate agreed to join the party, hoping thus to evade pursuit, and stifle her anguish in new adventures. Owing to the fatigues of the journey her horse wore out and had to be killed, and after enduring much agony the two deserters also died.

Kate was now alone iv the wildest solitudes of nature, with her reckless life behind her, and death staring her in the face. Gathering courage, however, she proceeded, and found with unspeakable joy that she was descending the mountains. Presently she saw before her the welcome shade of tress, and collecting all her energies, she reached these just in time to fall iusensible within the grove.

Here she lay for hours, apparently as though, she was never destined to .rise again ; nor would she perhaps, had not a party of huntsmen Wandered that way in pursuit of game. By them she was taken to their mistress's house, placed iv a warm bed, and after a ; fortnight was able to reach the saloon and thanked the lady for her kindness. -

This lady was a widow, with an only daughter about'sixteen years of age. Kato was attracted by this young girl, and felt a sisterly affection for her. One day the mamma found Kate with her arm round young Juana's waist. After a little talking Kate was accepted as Juana's lover, aud the wedding was settled to take place shortly. Kate shrank from avowing her sex, as she should have done, and allowed the preparations for the wedding to.go on. In a few weeks the party went to Tucuman to make some purchases, and it was settled that the- ceremony should take, place there. ..• .!.*'.,.-

At Tucuman Kate gambled with some Portuguese, and lost. Thinking there was foul play, she followed the chief culprit to his own door. As he was about to enter, Kate tapped the Portuguese on the arm and said, ' Senor, you are a robber!' He turned round and coolly said-, ' Possibly, sir; but I have no particular fancy for being told so.' He then drew his sword, fought with Kate, aud in less than a minute was laid dead at her feet. She dragged the the body into the house, laid the street-door key beside him, and went home. She was awakened in the 'morning by the police, taken to trial, and condemned to be executed in eight days, lOn the day of execution Kate mounted the scaffold _rmly, : and because the. executioner bungled in making the knot, she did it properly, and received in return the .plaudits of the people. Just at the last moment, a horseman galloped up, and delivered an order from the G-overuor of La Plata for the execution to be stopped. Kate was taking* to 1 a Plata, acquitted and advised b-flier president, to drop her tender connection,for the present, with the senor, to whom she was engaged, and who it turned out, had been instrumental, in eiicctiug her'release. '-. -. .-.,.-- Kate was, supplied with money for travelling expenses, and, well mounted, she rode to Paz. Here.-she made the ac-

quaintance of the Alcalde, aud was in troduced by him to his wife. At dinner Kate did not fail to observe that there wa' an improper understanding between thin lady fcrad her husband's cousin, Don Anto. nio C aider on. The whole party journeyed forward L Cuzco, and one night stopped at)a ]jm. town ten miles short of that citk yy lady was to sleep in a little pleast^-bonae in the garden of the inn; Kate and Don Antonio were to occupy rooms in the inn and the Alcalde was to sleep at the cor! regidor's house. From what she had no' ticed, Kate was tempted to watch instead of going to bed, and presently she saw Doll Antonio creep out and enter the little pleasure-house ; in another minute he and the Alcalde came out struggling and fight, ing ; and then the former's wife came out trembling with fear. The Alcalde killed Antonio ; Kate caught hold of the lady mounted her horse with her, and made for Cuzco as fast as possible. By-and-by they heard the trampling of another horses hoofs behind them, and they knew it was the Alcalde ; and then began a most exciting race : through a torrent—over a broad trench—on at a rapid pace the horse dashed. The Alcalde fired after them but the bullets failed to take effect. His' horse, trying to leap the trench, threw his rider, and thus left the others free to egcape. Kate reached Cuzco, bearing her almost lifeless charge in her arms to the convent, and came out just in time to meet the thrown rider face to face. They began to fight f and Kate was wounded in the bosom. Two servants now came up and took part with their master; then _ntonio's servants rode up and took part with Kate. Kate killed her enemy, and Calderon's servantfled. The police next arrived, and fought with Kate, when the bishop put an end to the affair by making his appearance. Our heroine was now led, faint and bleeding, into the palaceof the bishop, and requesting a private interview with him, she confessed her sex, and then fainted. Soon after she was removed to a convent, and when the bishop had ieported the case to Philip the Fourth, an order came for her to be transferred to Spain. ' The fame of her adventures and daring exploits had travelled before her, and she was astonished to find herself received everywhere with enthusiasm. High and low combined to do her honor.,.She was kissed by the king, flattered by the .courtiers, pardoned by the Pope, and idolised by the people. .His Holiness went so far as to give her permission to wear at any time the dress of a cavalry officer.

After spending ten years in Spaiu she was attacked by her last fit of restlessness, and joined an expedition to America. Some officers went ashore at Yera Cruz, and Kate got in the boat with them; but she never landed, and is supposed to have dropped overboard; yet no one saw her, nor was her body ever found. On landing the strictest search was made, and the sea was dragged, but all in vain .J And so passed from a strange life to a mysterious death she who is celebratedin Spanish annals as Catalina de Erauso.