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368 stones. After Diaz Melgarejo assumed command, Escalera continued in his work of conquest, en- gaged in a nine months' campaign against the Guarany Indians, founded several forts, and in 1570 returned to Ciudad Real. After that date Escalera retired to the exercise of his ecclesiastical duties, and wrote several memoirs relating to the conquest and the natural products of the country. Previously, in 1556, he had sent to Charles V. a re- port of Irala's behavior, and one to the prosecutor for the council of Indies. His writings have been published by the Madrid Academy of history.

ESCALONA, Juan (es-cah-lo'-nah ), South American soldier, b. in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1768 ; d. there in 1834. He joined the revolutionists in 1810, and on 5 July, 1811, as president of the federal executive, he declared the independence of Venezuela to the republican soldiers. He assisted in reconquering Venezuela in 1813, and in 1814 defended Valencia till obliged to surrender to Boves, who put citizens and soldiers to death on entering the city. Escalona escaped to Caracas, where he hid himself, but continiied to encourage the revolutionists by his writings. He returned to the army in 1820, and filled various civil and mili- tary posts till 1836, when he was elected com- mander-in-chief of Venezuela, relieving Gen. Paez, who had been suspended by order of the senate pending an official investigation. After the restora- tion of public order in 1827 he resigned his com- mission, but continued in the service of the gov- ernment till 1830, when the republic of Colombia was dissolved. After Venezuela had become a separate country he was made prefect of Caracas, and as such was instrumental in suppressing an insurrection in 1831.

ESCALONA Y CALATAYUD, Juan Jose, South American bishop, b. at Quer, Rioja, Spain, in 1675 ; d. near Valladolid, Mexico, 23 May, 1737. He studied at the colleges of San Jeronimo, Alcala, and San Bartolome, Salamanca, and subsequently was theological doctor, canon of the cathedral of Calahorra, and chaplain of the royal convent of La Encarnacion of Madrid. Afterward he occu- pied the see of Caracas, Venezuela, where he re- mained for a short time, and was translated to that of Valladolid de Michoacan in 1729, where he was noted for his charities. He gave large sums to various churches, finished at his expense the con- vent of Santa Catalina, built the Episcopal palace and the church of Nuestra Senora de los Urdiales, as well as a part of that of San Jose, and the hos- pitium of the Guadalupe shrine. He also finished the most costly part of his cathedral, founded a college for girls, and a home for women of good character, made many endowments for poor mar- ried women and for nuns, and often distributed clothing among the needy. One of his pastorals is entitled " Instruccion para una vida perfecta."

ESCANDON, Antonio (es-can-don'), Mexican capitalist, b. in the city of Mexico, 25 Aug., 1825 ; d. in Paris, France, 14 Jan., 1882. He began life as a merchant and manufacturer, and afterward became a banker. His thorough knowledge of the trade of his country soon led him to understand the importance of a better communication between the capital and the principal port of entry, Vera Cruz, and he was active in building the railroad between those points. The road was begun in 1861, and opened by President Lerdo de Tejada, 1 Jan., 1873, and is considered one of the triumphs of modern engineering skill. During the empire Es- candon accepted the decoration of the order of Guadalupe, and frequented the imperial court, and on the eve of the downfall of Maximilian went to Paris, where he stayed until the beginning of 1877. During his residence there he ordered from the sculptor Charles Cordier a statue of Christopher Columbus, which he gave to his native city. The monument is nearly forty feet high ; the statue itself represents Columbus with one hand out- stretched, while with the other he lifts a veil, un- covering a world. On the four cor- ners of the pedes- tal are seated four monks — Diego de Dieza, turning the leaves of the Bible to see if it con- tains any text op- posed to the mari- ner's idea ; Juan Perez de Marche- na, studying a chart and meas- uring with com- passes thedistaiice between Spainand the New World ; Bartolome de las •Casas, preparing to write the de- fence of the In- dians whom he vainly sought to protectagainstthe ci'uelty of the con- querors ; and Ber- nardino de Saha- gun, holding aloft the cross, before which the Indians

are prostrated. The four sides of the pedestal con- tain bas-reliefs representing scenes from the con- quest of America, and the chart used by Columbus. Escandon came to Mexico in 1877 to see this monu- ment unveiled, and returned in 1878 to Paris, where he remained till his death. Escandon built a coun- try house, about 1860, at Tacubaya, the gardens of which are among the finest in America, while the building contains fine collections of natural liistory.

ESCOBAR, Bartolome de, Spanish missionary, b. in Seville, Siiain, in 1562 ; d. in Lima, Peru, in 1624. He belonged to one of the noblest families in Spain, and had immense possessions, which he employed in works of charity. His religious zeal led him to the West Indies, where be became a Jesuit and lived seventeen years. He afterward went to Lima, Peru, where he spent the three years preceding his death. His works are " Conciones de Christi testamento " (Lyons. 1617) ; " De Festis Domini " (Paris, 1624) ; " Super omnes Beatae Vir- ginis festivitates " (1624) ; and " De la Concepci6n de Nuestra Senora " (Oviedo, 1622).

ESCOBAR, Maria de (es-co-bar'), Spanish colonist, b. in Truxillo about the end of the 15th or the beginning of the 16th century; d. in Cuzco, Peru, about 1560. She was the wife of Diego de Chaves, one of the companions of Pizarro, and one of the few officers who had the courage to protest against the execution of Atahualpa in 1533. Maria followed her husband to Peru, shared the fatigues and dangers of the Spaniards, and introduced the cultivation of wheat and barley into the conquered country. The first experiment was tried on a small scale near Cuzco with a few grains brought by her from Spain, and in a few years there was sufficient grain to furnish seed for all the colonists of the different provinces. Maria