344 FOX-HOUXD, FOREST, AXD PRAIRIE. 



and even now occasionally is, obliged to work alongside and 

 assist, after the other has been ostensibly in full possession. It 

 would take many volumes to recount half the stories of Judge 

 Lynch's vigorous and effective action, even as instanced within 

 the present decade. But here is a tolerably recent one con- 

 nected with the mining camps, that is very illustrative of his 

 code and its methods of enforcement. 



A Mexican desperado had come under sentence. The Vigi- 

 lantes had decreed his arrest, and he was to be brought before 

 Judge Lynch for summary trial. A detachment accordingly waited 

 upon him at his log shanty in a neighbouring gulch, and bade 

 him surrender. His only answer was to shoot the spokesman 

 dead, and to open fire upon the others with his Winchester 

 repeater. In return volley after volley was poured upon the 

 hut. But the Mexican had the best of it behind the thick logs, 

 and soon placed two more of the delegates hors de combat. 

 Compelled to attain his capture or destruction by other means, 

 they now brought into play a large mortar that happened to be 

 available : and cramming it with stones, pieces of iron, and 

 anything that came to hand, fired it with blasting powder again 

 and again against the wooden citadel. At length they succeeded 

 in blowing in one whole side of the hut ; resistance appeared to 

 be at an end ; and, after making sure with another volley or 

 two, they advanced with due caution to the ruins. Here they 

 found the wretched man — his ammunition exhausted and one 

 of his legs broken. But justice had to be accomplished — and 

 none the less because exasperated and defied. The man was a 

 murderous ruffian who had killed to rob : and they had to stamp 

 him out. So they hung him forthwith to the nearest tree ; 

 then, as soon as he was dead, cast him on the shanty roof, and 

 set fire to the pile. 



Now comes the Last detail of the tragedy. It was rumoured 

 in camp that the Mexican had gold upon him when thus 

 executed. Whereupon the women — such as alone frequent a 

 mining-camp — came down upon the scene of cremation ; and as 

 soon as the fire was dead set to work to pan out (i.e., to wash 



