THE BLOOD TAX.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 295, 12 December 1891, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE BLOOD TAX.

There are, says a correspondent, two or three places in the Pyrenees where the custom of imposing a blood tax, founded upon the belief that " a murder committed by the inhabitants of a village or canton upon those of an adjoining village or canton must forever remain a burden upon the descendants of their descendants," is still observed, says a writer in the New York "Commercial Advertiser." Thus, aboub bhe middle of bhe fourteenth century, the inhabitants of the Valley of Levedan, having massacred the defenceless residents of Aspe, were condemned by the Pope to pay a perpetual tax of 30 sols, which was levied upon twenty-two villages and paid up to the time of the revolution. In the thirteenth century, if nob earlier, a ' similar crime was committed between the valleys of Baretons, in French Navarre, and Roncal, in Spanish Navarre. The blood tax, which the inhabitants of the former were ordered by the Pope to discharge, is paid to this day, the ceremony taking place annually on July 13th in the mountains, about seven hours' march from Osse, at the pass known as La Peyre St. Martin. It is thus described by M. Cadler :

' There is a crowd of people to be seen making their way to the rendezvous. The shepherds of the Barebona valley, with their red waistcoats interspersed with dark threads, the mayors and delegates of the villages of Arette, Laune, Aramits and Issor, bhe foresbers of the mountain, the custom house officers without their guns, the clergy, represented by the priest of Sb. Engrace and two curates, and a few English tourists from Osse helped to make up this singular assembly. When we reached tbe narrow stone which marked off the frontier, with the name of St. Martin inscribed upon the two sides of ie in French and Spanish, we found Ourselves face to face with the Spaniards, who formed an imposing group. First of all there was the alcalde, Mayor of Issaba, who was to act the part of Lord Chief Justice. He was wearing a black robe bordered with red and a large collarette by way of bands, while he carried in his hand the wand of juatio? in the shape of a black stick with a' silver knob.

' Thoj alcaldes of bhree or four obher Spanish villages were similarly attired, and they were accompanied by a numerous suite made up of delegates from the general junta of the valley of the Roncal, the notary, the veterinarian and others, the escort consisting of seven or eight armed carabineros and guards, while in the rear were a number of " bourriqueros," who had come in the hope of selling the skins of wine with which their donkeys were loaded. Ib was aboub 9 a.m. when bhe interesting ceremonial, which has been observed without interruption since 1375, commenced by the French Mayors donning their tricolour scarf, and by the Spanish alcaldes advancing toward the frontier stone accompanied by a herald bearing a lance, on which was painted a red flame, the symbol of justice. The bwo parties having halted at a distance of about twenby feet from their respective frontiers, the he: aid substitutes for his red flame a white one, which is the symbol of pacific intentions, and the Alcalde of Isaba exclaims in Spanish. " Do you wish for peace ?" ' To this the French mayors reply in the affirmative, also speaking in Spanish, and, in order to testify to the sincerity of their intentions, their herald lays down his lance upon the top of the stone in the direction of the frontier, whereupon the Spanish herald comes and inserts his lance into the French soil, resting the shaft againsb tho stone so as to form a cross with the French lance. The Mayor of Arette then comes and lays his hand upon the cross so formed, a Spanish alcalde places hia right hand upon that of the Frenchman, and the other mayors and alcaldes do the same alternately. Then, last of all, the alcalde of Isaba steps forward and lifting his wand of justice over the pile of hands, pronounces the form of oath, which all swear to keep.

1 After this oath has been taken the alcalde of Tsaba exclaims three times " Pazdaraus I" (peace in the future), Peace is thus anew concluded, and to ratify their having given up all idea of vengeance, the men of Roncal order tho escort to discharge their guns in the direction of France. Then comes the reception of the blood tax, which used to consist of three perfectly white mares, but, owing to the difficulty of getting them exactly alike, three white heifers have now been substituted for them. The bhree heifers presented this year were worth about £23, which is a large sum for the district, and after the Roncal notary had drawn up a process verbal, which was signed all round, a repast was served at the expense of the Spaniards, toasts being proposed in honour of Spain, France and England, the introduction of England being due to the presence of several British visitors.'