yp) AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FRANCIS ARAGO. 
north of the mouth of the river Xucar, and to the south 
of the Albuféra, I once conceived the project of establish- 
ing a station on the high mountains which are in front of 
it. I went to see them. ‘The alcaid of one of the neigh- 
bouring villages warned me of the danger to which I was 
about to expose myself. “ These mountains,” said he to 
me, “form the resort of a band of highway robbers.” I 
asked for the national guard, as I had the power to do so. 
My escort was supposed by the robbers to be an expedi- 
tion directed against them, and they dispersed themselves 
at once over the rich plain which is watered by the Xu- 
car. On my return I found them engaged in combat 
with the authorities of Cullera. Wounds had been given 
on both sides, and, if I recollect right, one alguazil was 
left dead on the plain. 
The next morning I regained my station. The follow- 
ing night was a horrible qne; the rain fell in a deluge. 
Towards night, there was knocking at my cabin door. 
To the question “ Who is there?” the answer was, “A 
-custom-house guard, who asks of you a shelter for some 
hours.” My servant having opened the door to him, I 
saw a magnificent man enter, armed to the teeth. He 
laid himself down on the earth, and went to sleep. In 
the morning, as I was chatting with him at the door of 
my cabin, his eyes flashed on seeing two persons on the 
slope of the mountain, the alcaid of Cullera and his prin- 
cipal alguazil, who were coming to pay mea visit. “ Sir,” 
cried he, “ nothing less than the gratitude which I owe to 
you, on account of the service ‘which you have rendered 
to me this night, could prevent my seizing this occasion 
for ridding myself, by one shot of this carabine, of my 
most cruel enemy. Adieu, sir!” And he departed, 
springing from rock to rock as light as a gazelle. 
