the Carlists, with probably not more than half that number, had not only to carry on the siege of Bilbao, but also to prevent the advance of the relieving force.

"The

On the 27th April General Concha's advance-guard arrived at the valley of Otanez. As soon as we heard of this we pushed on to the village, and got there just as the Carlists opened fire: this soon extended to the surrounding hills, but seemed to cease on the road, so we walked on past the village. Fortunately I noticed a side-path winding up the hill on the right, and suggested our going up there to get a good look forward before going farther. We had hardly gone a couple of hundred yards up the path before we saw a company taking shelter under the left bank. We asked why they were there: the answer was, Carlists are only fifty yards off in the woods; there are the marks of their bullets in the opposite bank. You had better get under cover at once," which we did. We were hardly down when a volley came over our heads, to which our friends replied, and had a very pretty little advance-guard fight, of which, by taking shelter behind trees, we had a good view. In time the Carlists retired from the wood, but continued firing from the high ground as we returned to the village-not at us, although occasionally it felt like it, but at the supports coming up. As it was getting dusk we walked back to Castro, noticing the picturesque firefly-like sparkle of the Carlist musketry on the surrounding hills. That night we discussed where we had better go next day to see what would evidently be a big fight, and from the hints we got, and our own observations, came to the conclusion that one of Serrano's divisions would hold the Carlists to

the Somorrostro position, whilst the other would extend its right across the mountain to the valley of Otanez, only some three miles distant, and clear the high ground on the left flank of Concha's advance, whose objective was the Pass of Munecas. Once that were gained, the strong position of Somorrostro would be turned, and the road to Bilbao open.

CHAPTER XIV.

RELIEF OF BILBAO.

WE were advised to get to the top of the Salta Caballos ridge, about 1200 feet above the Otanez road, and then walk along it for a mile until we were above the village. This we did, and then descending on to a lower spur, got a magnificent position, where we had an uninterrupted view of the whole valley and the Carlist intrenchments on each side of it. About 800 yards directly in front of us, and on our level, was another flat-topped detached hill named Serrantes, which was only about 700 yards from another steep detached hill, Talledo, to our left front, on which was an extensive line of Carlist trench. We were, so to say, at the apex of a right-angled triangle, of which Serrantes and Talledo were the base points: as the attack on Talledo was to be from Serrantes, the fire would be along the base line, and we at the apex would be safe enough and have a close view of the fight. Beyond Talledo were more Carlist trenches at intervals, extending from the hills down to the road. There were also other trenches on the spurs of the heights of the Munecas Pass, whilst on the opposite side of the Otanez valley, on the high ground,

was a formidable-looking redoubt, also supported by trenches.

Stated briefly, General Concha's corps of two divisions was to attack as follows: one brigade of his first division was to capture the Talledo hill. This being done, the brigade which did so was to continue along the high ground on the left of the road, on which with the field battery was the other brigade. Concha's second division, with the Plasencia mountain battery, was to capture the great redoubt and trenches on the other side of the valley. General Concha's headquarters were at Otanez, Serrano's at the church of Somorrostro, the two generals communicating across the mountainridge which was between the two places. Martinez Campos, who commanded the brigade which was to attack Talledo, moved from the village of Otanez at ten o'clock and massed his force behind the crest of Serrantes, the second division getting at the same time into position to move on the great redoubt. At twelve o'clock the attacks began almost simultaneously. A heavy musketry-fire was opened on Talledo from the top of Serrantes, and under its cover one battalion of marines which had been extended behind the Serrantes ridge dashed over it and down into the intervening valley. The enemy being only 700 yards off, and knowing the range exactly, punished them severely, many men falling the moment they were over the ridge. The battalion found cover in a sort of hollow road which ran along the bottom, and in a few minutes they again appeared, and advancing up the slope towards the trench, attacked directly in front. The enemy reinforced the defenders of the trench, who continued

BATTLE OF OTANEZ.

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a heavy fire; but the troops were not to be denied, and pressed resolutely on, when the enemy broke and retreated hastily to a wall behind and above the trench. The marines, headed by their colonel, Lara, who sprang on the parapet of the trench and waved on his men with his sword, scarcely dwelt a moment, but rushed on to the attack on the wall, which they also carried in a few minutes. The Carlists being strongly reinforced from an adjacent wood, and led on by one of their best chiefs, Don Castor Andechaga, after an obstinate fight overpowered the marines, who had to abandon the wall and the trench: some of them seemed to be pitched right over the parapet, possibly bayoneted. The Carlists again occupied the position, but the Valencia regiment coming up strongly in support, the Carlists were again driven back and Talledo finally captured, the struggle being hand-tohand with bayonet and butt. Colonel Lara and Castor were at one time only separated by a few yards we could plainly make out the old chief Castor, who was mounted and always in the very forefront of the fight.

General Martinez Campos having now made his left flank secure, marched his brigade along the lower ground parallel with the road, and being reinforced by fresh troops from the other brigade in the centre and a field battery, advanced his whole force to the attack of the other trenches, which were at right angles to the road.

As soon as Talledo was taken we joined the party still left on Serrantes, and were able with our flasks to be of some use to the worst of the wounded. From Serrantes we had again a close view of the action, and particularly noted the excellent service

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