134 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



any further parley by firing at Mr. S as he 



lay in bed. The latter, who was prepared for 

 something of the sort, avoided the shot by 

 dodging, and quickly returned the compliment 

 by sending a ball through the scoundrel's head, 

 Another brigand, who was waiting outside, now 



came in laughing, supposing Mr. S to be 



killed ; but he also was disposed of by a ball 



between the eyes. Mr. S then got up, and 



finding the rest of the gang in the yard, he shot 

 two more, when the remainder bolted. 



Shortly after our departure from San Bias, 

 some of these scoundrels attacked and murdered 

 an unoffending merchant of that place. The 

 poor fellow defended himself in the most gallant 

 manner, and killed four or five of the brigands 

 before he succumbed. 



For a day or two after our return to the ship 

 I anxiously awaited news from Tepic, but the 

 telegraph wires had been destroyed, and the 

 coach stopped, by order of Lozada ; his soldiers 

 lined the roads, and all direct communication 

 was cut off. In a few days I received a letter 



