IN THE PACIFIC. 133 



infest the neighbourhood, and frequently rob 

 and abuse passing travellers. These cowardly 

 rascals sometimes catch a Tartar, as the follow- 

 ing story will show : 



Mr. S , a member of a well-known family 



in Mexico, had, it appears, given offence to a 

 band of brigands, who determined to settle 

 accounts with him. He lived in a hacienda not 

 far from Tepic, and one morning, before he was 

 out of bed, he received a visit from thirty or forty 

 of the brigands. Fortunately he heard them 

 coming, and placed his revolver under the bed- 

 clothes. Presently one of the robber chiefs 

 came in, and, wishing him good morning, 

 entered into conversation. The man, seeing a 

 rifle leaning against the wall, suddenly pos- 

 sessed himself of the weapon, and concluding 

 that his victim was at his mercy, he coolly in- 

 formed him that he meant to kill him. Mr. 

 , to gain time, asked if money would not 

 do as well, at the same moment cocking his 

 revolver under the clothes. The brigand said 

 no, that he must have his blood, and cut short 



