XXXIV ‘’ AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
«El hombre pone, y Dios dispone.” Many a bright 
and glorious morning ends in a gloomy setting 
sun. 
There began to be reports spread up and down 
the city that the black vomit had made its appear- 
ance; and every succeeding day brought testimony 
‘that things were not as they ought to be. I my- 
self, in an alley near my uncle’s house, saw a mattress 
of most suspicious appearance hung out to dry.. A 
Maltese captain, who had dined with us in good 
‘health at one o'clock, lay dead in his cabin before 
sunrise the next morning. A few days after this, 
I was seized with vomiting and fever during the night. 
I had the most dreadful spasms, and it was supposed 
that I could not last out till noon the next day. 
However, strength of constitution got me through it. 
In three weeks more, multitudes were seen to leave 
the city, which shortly after was declared to be in a 
state of pestilence. Some affirmed that the disorder 
had come from the Levant; others said that it had 
been imported from the Havanna; but I think it 
probable that nobody could tellin what quarter it 
had originated. . 
We had: now all retired to the country house ; 
my eldest uncle returning to Malaga from time to 
time, according as the pressure of business demanded 
his presence in the city. He left us one Sunday 
evening, and said he would be back again some time 
on Monday; but that was my poor uncle’s last 
day’s ride. On arriving at his house in Malaga, 
there was a messenger waiting to inform him that 
Father Bustamante had fallen sick, and wished to 
