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
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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