saw at once that such a precedent would be in the
highest degree dangerous, inasmuch as most of the Carlists had friends
and near relatives in the Christino country, was firm in his refusal.
The officers were shot, but Quesada did not dare to incur the odium
which reprisals of the nature he had threatened would have heaped upon
his head. It was remarked also that he was greatly discouraged by the
proof he on this occasion obtained of his opponent's firmness and
energy, and of the unlimited authority and influence he enjoyed over
those under his command. The shooting of prisoners of war continued
without intermission till the Eliot convention took place.

The month of April had arrived without any one of the Carlist leaders
having received a communication, either verbal or written, from the
prince for whom they had now been six months under arms. At last, on the
11th of April, Zumalacarregui, who was then in the valley of the
Berrueza, received the much wished-for letter from the hands of a native
of Burgos, who, in the disguise of a muleteer, managed to reach his
camp. In this letter, which was dated the 18th of March 1834, Don Carlos
declared that his "royal heart and soul were sweetly affected by the
contemplation of the heroical efforts that were being made in the cause
of religion and his legitimate rights." He promised to maintain the
_fueros_ of the provinces, approved all that had been done, and gave
various and extensive powers to Zumalacarregui, whom he styled Mariscal
de Campo of the royal armies. The enthusiasm which this document
occasioned amongst the troops and the people of the provinces was so
great, that Zumalacarregui declared it to be worth a reinforcement of
twenty thousand men. It is probable also, although no express mention is
made of it, that about or rather before this time, some small supplies
of money had been received from the friends of Don Carlos in Spain, or
other countries; for we find the junta of Navarre busied in providing
new clothing for a part of the troops. The taxes levied in the districts
in which the Carlists operated, and those duties on goods passing the
frontier which they were able to collect, must at that period have been
of very trifling amount, and insufficient to meet the expenses even of
Zumalacarregui's small army.

During three months that Quesada had held the command, which he assumed
with a force that he himself admitted to consist of 23,000 infantry, and
1400 hors