Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/385

Rh small Dutch squadron. Next she went to Panama, and thence to Saña, and there took charge of a shop, managing it to the entire satisfaction of her employer. On one occasion, while at the theatre, Catalina was annoyed by a man named Reyes, who threatened to disfigure her face, and on the following day went to the shop with the purpose of provoking her. When he left she got a knife, made it into a sort of saw, and, girding on her sword, went in search of Reyes. She found him near the door of a church, rushed upon him, and crying, &ldquo;This is the face that is to be disfigured,&rdquo; tore his face with the rude weapon. A friend of Reyes then attacked her, but she wounded him dangerously, and then took refuge in a church. Her employer, who entertained feelings of friendship for the sister-in-law of the wounded Reyes, thought matters would be brought to a satisfactory termination by a marriage between her and his clerk. Catalina gave her employer to understand that nothing could induce her to marry. She then went to Trujillo to take charge of another shop. Reyes, with two others, followed and attacked her, but Catalina defended herself against all three, and killed one of them. Ordoño, the chief magistrate, was taking her to prison, when, passing by a church, he allowed her to take refuge in it. He was from Biscay, and she had chanced to speak to him in the Basque dialect. She next went to Lima, and after some months enlisted as a soldier, under the assumed name of Alonso Diaz Ramirez de Guzman, in the expedition that was to be sent to Chili. The company was commanded by Capt. Gonzalo Rodriguez, and formed part of the forces sent to Concepcion under the command of Sarabia, but made the campaign under the command of Gov. Ribera, whose secretary was Capt. Miguel de Erauzo, whom she knew to be her brother, but he did not recognize her. But he found that Ramirez de Guzman frequented a certain gambling-saloon, and caused her transfer to Paicabi (Arauco), where she remained three years in service. She accompanied the expedition ito Valdivia, where, in a severe engagement, she with two soldiers rushed in among the Indians, and both soldiers perished in the fight; but Catalina wounded many, and killed a cacique, after receiving three wounds from arrows and one from a lance. For this exploit she was appointed ensign, and served as such in the company of Alonso Moreno, in the battle of Puren, and when her captain fell she took his place and led the company bravely. Afterward Catalina took part in other engagements, and was wounded many times by arrows. She fought with the famous cacique Quispehuancha, unhorsed him, and then had him hanged on a tree. When Catalina was at Nacimiento she obtained a six-months' leave of absence, to return to Concepcion, and while there was insulted in a gambling-saloon by an officer, whom she wounded in the breast, and took refuge in a church. The governor had the church surrounded for six months, and by this time the fury of the people had abated. Catalina left, accompanied by the ensign Don Juan Silva, who had asked her to be his second in a duel with Don Francisco Rojas. Silva being wounded and Rojas killed, Catalina fought with the second of the latter while the moon was obscured by a cloud, so that she did not see the face of her opponent. The cloud passed away and Catalina looked upon the face of her brother, whom she had killed. She then set out on a journey to Tucuman (in the Argentine province). Some idea may be formed of her hardships and sufferings on that perilous journey from the fact (as she herself relates) that

for the first time in her life she shed tears. When she saw two deserters and two Indians who accompanied her perish of hunger and cold, her heart failed her for a moment, but she killed a horse, and, subsisting on its flesh, continued her journey. After travelling a long time, she came to a farm, whose owner, a widow, treated her with the greatest kindness, and wanted Catalina to marry her daughter. She went to Tucuman, as if for the purpose of celebrating the marriage, but fled, and directed her steps to Potosi, accompanied by a soldier. On the way they were attacked by a gang of robbers, two of whom they killed. She reached Potosi, and was for a short time valet to Gov. Arguijo, but soon joined the command of the corregidor of Potosi, who was raising troops to put down an insurrection headed by Ybañez, and took part in a severe engagement. She was made aide-de-camp to Gen. Alba, and accompanied him on an expedition against the Mojos Indians. After this she went to Charcas, where she was employed by a merchant, whose business prospered rapidly under her able management; but she had a dispute at the gaming-table, and fought a duel with the cousin of the bishop, killing her adversary. In Fomabamba (Peru), Catalina had another duel, in which she killed her adversary, and was thrown into prison and put to the torture. She made no confession, but was sentenced to die, refused to receive the consolations of the church, and ascended the scaffold. But an order arrived from President Don Diego de Portugal to suspend the execution and send the culprit to Chuquisaca, as it had been proved that the declarations of the witnesses were false. Catalina went to Cochabamba. A nun named Ulloa induced the president of Charcas to commission Catalina to conduct the trial of Francisco Escobar, who had treacherously killed two Indians. The result of the trial was that she condemned him to be hanged, and the sentence was carried into execution. Catalina next went to La Paz, where the servant of the corregidor enraged her by throwing his hat in her face. Catalina stabbed him with her dagger, and he fell, mortally wounded. She was imprisoned, sentenced to die, and was allowed two days to prepare for death, but finally escaped. When the viceroy, Marquis de Montesclaros, was preparing a fleet to attack the naval forces of the Dutch in the Pacific, under the command of George Spilberg, Catalina joined the fleet, and embarked in the &ldquo;Almirante,&rdquo; which, stranded off Cañete, was completely destroyed in the conflict. Catalina was one of the few persons that were saved, and fell into the hands of the Dutch, but were set free at Payta. She went to Lima, and, after a stay of seven months, proceeded to Cuzco. Here she was a great favorite with the ladies. On one occasion, in a gambling-saloon, she met a Spaniard commonly known as the &ldquo;Cid.&rdquo; He was repulsive and quarrelsome, but courageous. The &ldquo;Cid&rdquo; took his seat beside her. Twice he took from the table the money she had won; but on his making the third attempt she pinned his hand to the table with her poniard. The &ldquo;Cid,&rdquo; with two of his friends, attacked her; she, battling with all three, made her way to the street, where two Biscayan friends came to her aid. The &ldquo;Cid&rdquo; wounded Catalina in the back and in the left side, and she fell, bleeding profusely. Faint from loss of blood, she believed herself to be dying, and longed to reveal her sex. Rousing herself, she saw the &ldquo;Cid&rdquo; standing opposite the church at whose door she lay. The dying woman rose, staggered toward the &ldquo;Cid,&rdquo; and thrust her sword through his body, killing him on the instant. The