My troopers were anxious to _dar quito_[206] for their comrades hanged at Alhendin; and I was far from being disposed to baulk their fancy, but thought we would do it with _éclat_. Having, therefore, first plunged the two caitiffs "_patos arriba_"[207] in one of their flour casks, we took them to the city gate facing Granada; which, being old, and hanging loosely upon its hinges, we were enabled, by cutting two small notches in the side posts, to force their heads through, and so throttle them by closing the gate upon its centre, leaving their heads sticking out, like the mock-guns of a smuggler's _xebeque_.[208]
This done, I wrote with some chalk the following notice on the outside of the gate.
"The undersigned, Principal Ratcatcher to his Catholic Majesty _Fernando Septimo_, charged by an act of the _Junta_ of government now established at Cadiz with the duty of clearing the province of Andalusia of the rats and other vermin with which it is at this moment overrun, to the destruction and undermining of the glorious fabric of our independence, hereby gives notice, that any persons who may henceforth feed, harbour, or encourage the same, will themselves be considered equally as detrimental to the country as the aforesaid rats, and will, on conviction, meet with the same condign summary punishment.
"In witness whereof, I have this day throttled the two weasels hereunto made fast.
I was ever afterwards called _El Ratonero_.
That the French might be sure to see their comrades, we drove all the inhabitants before us out of the place; a matter of no great difficulty, since _Santa Fé_, though dignified by its pious founders[209] with the title of _city_, is but a small walled village, the principal streets of which form a Greek cross; so that, standing in the centre of the place, its four gates may be seen by merely turning round, and are all within pistol-shot.
Carrying off all the plate, money, &c., that we could find, I determined now, whilst the country was clear, and a direct road open, to visit the place of my nativity; the thirst for revenge on my enemies and detractors increasing, as the opportunity of gratifying it appeared more within my reach.
We directed our march, therefore, down the _vega_, towards Osuna, demanding rations in the king's name wherever we had occasion to halt, and levying contributions whenever the least hesitation was shown in complying with our demands. In this way we picked up considerable booty, besides carrying off all the good horses we met with on the route; for the French, in consideration of the quietness with which Andalusia had submitted to the yoke, had hitherto dealt very leniently with its inhabitants.
