Paroxysms of fury were not uncommon with Paez. After the battle of Ortiz,
in which his daring charges alone saved the infantry from destruction, he
was seized with a fit, and lay on the ground, foaming at the mouth.
Colonel English went to his aid, but his men warned him to let their
general alone, saying, "He is often so, and will soon be all right. None
of us dare touch him when he is in one of these spells."
But Colonel English persisted, sprinkling his face with water and forcing
some down his throat. The general soon recovered and thanked him for his
aid, saying that he was a little overcome with fatigue, as he had killed
thirty-nine of the enemy with his own hand. As he was running the fortieth
through the body he felt his illness coming on. By way of reward he
presented Colonel English with the lance which had done this bloody work
and gave him three fine horses from his own stud.
These anecdotes of the dashing leader of the llaneros, who, like all
Indians, viewed the Spaniards with an abiding hatred, are likely to be of
more interest than the details of his services in the years of
campaigning.
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